Friendly Competition
by ASlewOfExtremes
Summary: Bananun. Slight AU. Both Dr. Oliver Thredson and Sister Mary Eunice have their eyes on a certain inmate. Both determined to keep Ms. Winters for themselves, an onslaught of manipulation and violence ensues. Rated M for obvious reasons.
1. The Conflict Arises

The incessant tapping rang down the darkened hallway. Its neurotic repetition shattered the deafening silence of the asylum. Swift feet carried the slender nun, her ears ringing from the endless bombardment of thoughts and sounds from the surrounding inmates and staff. She rolled her eyes as the tapping grew more furious. Time was almost right to finally pursue one of her bigger interests, but a small inconvenience had come to fruition. Finally she reached Dr. Thredson's office. Sister Mary Eunice pushed down the cold door handle and let herself in, startling the doctor. The tapping instantly stopped.

Oliver quickly looked up, his hand supporting his head on his desk. He straightened his back, trying to resume his professional persona. His appearance was quite disheveled, he had obviously been up for quite some time. His face was tired and dreary.

"Sister, it's quite late. Shouldn't you be in your quarters?"

Mary Eunice smiled, her eyes quickly glancing at the pen in his hand and back to him. She could practically feel the anxiety. He was stressing.

"Well, I could say the same for you doctor." She sat down in the chair in front of his unkempt desk. Papers were scattered across the wooden surface. Some relating to Kit Walker's case, but she could see a few news articles underneath the grueling photos. The only name near the headline was all too familiar. _Winters._ "Doing some studying hmm doctor?" She pointed a finger at the papers. "You must _really_ be into her to dig through all of those cooking columns." A smirk spread across her face.

"I beg your pardon?" He glanced down at the article on his desk and back at the nun. His jaw clenched just slightly, but instantly relaxed. His eyebrows furrowed, and the nun let out a small giggle. "Relax Oliver. There's nothing to hide. You're about as good of an actor as our dear Dr. Arden. Secrets must come with the profession I suppose." She crossed her legs, her eyes becoming cold. She expected to hear some panicked or suspicious thoughts from the man, but was instead greeted with silence.

Mary Eunice leaned forward and placed her elbows on the desk, her face closer to Thredson's. "So is she the one? Ms. Homoerotic Winters? Is she going to make all of your _mommy dreams_ come true?" Her eyebrow raised. Oliver's face became sinister. He stood abruptly, inciting a laugh from the blonde. She laid back in her chair again. "Oh don't be so _sensitive_ Oliver. Believe me, I'm not the one to take away your little hobby." She checked her nails. "And Ms. Winters is quite decadent, you see, I was thinking of taking her for myself. Now sit down and act like a big boy, I only came here to talk." She waved her hand downwards and Thredson forcefully slammed down into the chair.

"What _the fuck_?" The breath had been knocked out of him, and he was unable to rise from the chair. His temper was starting to flare, more enraged than frightened by the acts of the younger nun.

"Now now, let's not be vulgar Oliver. Quite unprofessional of you." Oliver's eyes narrowed. "You know, I was quite content with letting you continue your little surgery operations, but now you've stumbled into a little, _predicament_."

"And what would that be, Sister?" His words were dry, full of bite.

"We have both set our sights on the same young woman. I suppose you did see her first, but let's face it, you're powerless here." She bit her lip a bit. "And only one of us can keep her in the end. Isn't that right?" Her voice infused every word with a bit of sarcasm.

Oliver relaxed. He turned his head slightly, trying to study the nun.

"Plus, I've heard all about your plans for her. Even trying to sneak her out the _front door_! How disappointed she'll be, since you _won't be showing up_." She pouted. Mary Eunice stood, walking over beside the doctor. She held his chin and turned his head to face her. "No hard feelings Oliver, but if you're good, I'll even let you live to see what I do to her." She smiled and let him go, walking over to the door, turning the handle.

She smirked at the doctor before gliding out the door, her footsteps echoing away. Oliver slammed his fists onto his desk.

He wasn't going to let some over-zealous nun ruin this for him. _Ever._

* * *

The day room was eerily quiet, aside from the domineering French tune ringing out from the record player. Lana sat in the far corner of the room, anxiously taking drags from a cigarette. After her conversation with Thredson on the night of the storm, she had been itching to speak to Wendy. The doctor had arranged a meeting between them in the day room, but he was already late. Her nerves were starting to escalate. Her leg kept bouncing up and down. Maybe she was paranoid, but she could feel eyes on her. She turned to scope the room, and met with sinister blue eyes from across the room. She quickly turned back, taking another drag on her cigarette. Sister Mary Eunice had been seemingly omnipresent today. She couldn't help but feel like she was being targeted. But why?

Lana snapped out of her thoughts as a figure quickly sat down in front of her. She breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes setting on the horn rimmed glasses of the psychiatrist. Her leg stopped. He reached a hand out and placed it on her knee. "Good morning Lana."

"Good morning." She gave him an uneasy smile, the feeling of being watched suddenly intensifying. The doctor shifted in his seat, seemingly feeling uneasy himself. He retracted his hand and leaned closer. "There's been a change of plans. I've gone over every exit of this place, and I think I know another way. Do you trust me?"

Lana was shocked. Her throat seemed to close up, and she squeaked out a whisper. "I - how would? I mean...yes." Her voice became almost inaudible. "But what happened?" Her stomach was in knots, and she felt a burning sensation in her back, the unknown gaze boring into her.

"My original plan was to take you through the front door, but an unforeseen problem has made that impossible. Luckily for you, I found a tunnel, buried inside an old broom closet. It's near the-" Lana cut him off.

"I know where it is. I came in through it. We can't go out there. The last time we tried we were... attacked. There are creatures out there." Her voice broke at the end.

"Lana, that's absurd." He turned to look at something behind her. Lana turned to see what it was, only seeing the younger nun exit the day room. The burning sensation was gone. She turned back to look at the doctor.

"Lana, were leaving, _tonight_. Meet me at the door to the tunnel after dinner, before lights out." He stood and adjusted his jacket. Lana tried to object, but was silenced as he walked out of the room. She watched him leave for a moment, then turned back to face forward, taking another cigarette and lighting it. Her leg continued its movements. She should feel good, relieved even. Shouldn't she?

Oliver walked out of the room and down the hall to his office, he had an appointment with Mr. Walker soon. He passed the young nun in the hall, sharing a brief moment of eye contact. He placed his hand inside his jacket as they passed, feeling comfort in the cold metal of his pistol. He took a deep breath, and relaxed, bringing his hand back to his side, walking into his office, preparing the last of his things before Mr. Walker's visit.

* * *

The past few hours had been agonizing. Lana had been avoiding the other inmates, quietly rolling the dough for tomorrow's meals in the kitchen. Her body was on autopilot, rolling and cutting the flour drenched dough systematically. Her head was full of worries. _What if I can't get to the closet? What if Jude finds me? How will we get past the creatures? _She dazed on, slicing her hand while cutting the next batch. "Shit." She hissed under her breath, clutching the wound in her other hand. She turned around, running into an all too familiar figure. She gasped a bit, stepping backwards, hitting the metal table. Mary Eunice lightly grabbed onto Lana's hands.

"Ms. Winters, this is quite the gash. Here, let me help." Her smile seemed genuine, her eyes much softer than in the day room. Lana nodded her head and followed, Mary Eunice's hands still holding hers.

Mary Eunice had her sit down, grabbing some gauze, a towel, and a bowl of water from the shelves adjacent. The nun knelt down in front of Lana, dabbing the wound with the wet towel, wiping the blood away. "So what were you thinking about?" The question caught Lana off guard.

"What do you mean?" The nun smiled, pressing down a bit harder, inciting a small wince from the inmate. "Well you must have been thinking about something. Not everyone just dozes off and slices their hand in two." She removed the wet towel, and Lana bit the inside of her cheek, not knowing how to answer. Mary Eunice wrapped her hand in the gauze, and after a few minutes of silence, let her hand go and placed her elbows on the woman's knees. "Oh come on, it's just the two of us. What was it?" Lana could see the innocent facade on the woman's face, but a part of her didn't buy it. When she didn't immediately respond, the friendly feel of the nun's eyes turned to daggers. Lana's breathing sped up.

"It was nothing Sister, thoughts tend to come and go as they please nowadays. I couldn't remember if I tried." Mary Eunice smiled and stood up, supporting her weight with her hands on Lana's knees. She held her face close to Lana's. "Right, Sister Jude's treatment for your condition does have that effect. How has that been going by the way? Still feeling those _urges_?" She had moved her face close to Lana's ear, accentuating the last word with a whisper. Lana let out a frightened gasp, and moved her head away. Mary Eunice stood up fully, looking down at Lana with a smirk. "Maybe you need another session."

Lana's eyes widened, and she stood up, her expression turning into a glare. A surge of confidence ran through her. "You're so twisted, you know that?"

Mary Eunice laughed. "Finally, you've stopped shaking in your boots. I guess you do have a spine after all."

Lana turned to the others in the kitchen, the other nuns were announcing for the inmates to leave, lights out in about half an hour. She turned back to the blonde nun. "I'd love to sit here and be tormented by you, but I'm sure we can do that some other time. _Good night_ Sister." Her voice was gritty and angry. She needed to get out of here. Screw the creatures and screw every Sister in this hellhole. Lana turned and exited the kitchen, following the other inmates. Mary Eunice smiled, walking over to the metal tables. The other Sisters had left, and she picked up Lana's knife, wiping the blood on her habit before pocketing it and walking out.


	2. Consequences

Lana had dressed herself as best she could with her injury after taking her mandated shower. Five minutes until lights out, she was late. The various nuns were always within ten feet of the inmate, making an escape impossible. She quickly exited the stalls, finally left alone. She made her way towards the double doors leading to the storage closet. Trying to look as innocent as possible, Lana kept a confident air about her. A few feet from the doors a nameless nun rounded the corner. They both stopped before colliding. A part of Lana's heart sank.

"Ms. Winters, it's time for lights out, why are you out wandering the halls?" She seemed sweet enough, but her voice was a bit stern. She had a hand on her hip and a basket of linens in the crook of her other arm.

Lana hesitated for a second. Luckily for her, Sister Mary Eunice had given her a wonderful excuse. She lifted her injured hand. "Sister Mary Eunice helped bandage my hand earlier but she wanted me to run by the infirmary to have it checked out. Is that alright Sister?"

The nun sighed, seeing the bandage. "Right along then, make sure to have one of the other sisters escort you back to your cell once you've finished." She nodded and the nun moved to pass the inmate, and Lana let out a breath. After the other nun was out of sight, she pushed through the white doors. The closet was just through the small hallway, and she rushed to it, throwing the door open.

The smell of smoke invaded her senses and she smiled as she saw Dr. Thredson looking at his watch, a cigarette between his lips. He silently motioned her to him, pushing open the door and lightly putting his hand on her back as she entered the dark tunnel, him following closely behind.

"What took you so long?" He was whispering, and his breathing was heavy. He tossed his unfinished cigarette to the ground, his free hand inside his jacket pocket, resting there.

Lana turned back to look at him, only small dim lights illuminating his face as they made their way through the passageway. "I couldn't get alone until just now." She reciprocated his whisper.

They continued in silence for a bit, the sound of gravel being crushed echoing down the tunnel. The exit was finally in sight, just barely visible by the moonlight illuminating the forest. Lana bit the inside of her cheek. She wasn't sure how they were going to get past those creatures, but she had to try. No turning back now. They were about to exit the tunnel when she heard a click of metal behind her, turning to see Oliver with a pistol in his hand at his side. She paused for a moment and opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off.

"Just in case anyone spots us." She nodded and the pair exited the tunnel. The forest was much different from the last time Lana was here. Plus, the weather was different as well. The air was frigid, and the leaves on the trees were hauntingly absent. She had forgotten how long she had been at Briarcliff. The thought left a feeling of disgust inside her. The grass was a pale yellow, crunching under their feet as they briskly made their way through the trees. Both of them froze as a black figure approached them. Oliver instantly aimed his pistol.

"Oliver, Oliver, Oliver, for a psychiatrist you hardly know how to listen." The figure kept walking, unfazed by the weapon. The shadows of the trees finally disappeared as the figure stepped about ten feet in front of them. Lana felt a severe wave of panic. She was a deer in headlights, unable to move at the sight of Sister Mary Eunice. The nun dawned her dark cloak, her hips swaying as she walked until she halted in front of them. Her eyes pierced Lana's, the reporter having to turn her head to look away. The blonde's eyes turned to the pistol. She tssked, waving her finger before pointing to the firearm. "And weapons are _strictly_ prohibited on the premises."

Lana screamed as the pistol discharged, the sound deafening. Her eyes instinctively closed, her hands covering her ears. She opened her eyes to see Mary Eunice step back, a hole blown into her left shoulder. She covered her mouth and stepped back herself, unable to look away. The nun recovered and stood up straight, stretching her neck.

"Can't listen _or_ shoot. Congrats though, you caught me off guard." She laughed, crossing her arms. The gun discharged again, but the nun's hand instantly raised, and the bullet stopped before falling lifeless to the ground. She flicked her wrist and the pistol flew out of his hands.

"Please tell me you have a plan B Oliver." She smirked, stepping forward.

Lana let out a frightened whimper, but screamed when she was yanked from behind, a hand now covering her mouth. She tried to scream and escape the grasp, but stopped when she felt a cold point to her neck. Oliver's teeth were bare, his chest heaving as he held the knife tightly to Lana's neck, in a position where any movement at all would cut the flesh.

"Oh good you do. I'm glad you thought this through." She tapped her finger to her lips. She tilted her head to the side, locking eyes with Lana.

"So Lana, just curious, but where did you hope to go after this little, escape?" She didn't intend to be answered. "I'm guessing you would return to Ms. Peyser's residence. That was _your_ plan after all, correct?" She stepped a bit closer. "I mean, I'm _sure_ you wouldn't agree to spending the rest of your life chained to a bed in his basement. You're much too prideful for that." Lana felt Thredson's grip tighten, and she let out a muffled cry.

"Shut up, or I slit her throat and slit yours next." The words were spat out of the doctor, his normally rational demeanor faltering. He pressed the blade down a bit.

The nun ignored the man, continuing to inch closer, still focused on Lana.

"To think you would be off with a man you met only days before now without a second thought." She smirked. "I'm sure that's the first time that's happened." Lana's eyes rolled back, and her knees buckled.

She turned to Thredson, momentarily distracted by Lana's fall, and threw him backward. The knife slashed the side of Lana's throat before being tossed aside. The nun calmly walked up to the woman, and placed her hand on her wound, trying to slow the bleeding. She reached into the top of her habit and pulled out the knife from the kitchen. She threw the blade at the doctor, the metal embedding itself into his leg. He cried out, gripping his thigh, letting out grunts of frustration and agony. Mary Eunice turned back to Lana, taking off her coif and pressing it against her neck. She lifted the girl up, turning to face the writhing doctor, his head lifting up to see her. "You better hurry to your car doctor, the creatures are _quite_ hungry." She smiled and walked back into the tunnel with Lana, and Oliver slammed his head onto the ground, swallowing his cries.


	3. Morning After

Lana groaned as she awoke, her head was spinning and her vision was unnaturally blurry.

_Am I dead?_

She looked around at the mixed colors of the room. Various dark colors swirled among a white background, she was almost sure she was dead. How could she not be? The memories of her last escape came back in waves, a headache forming. Her eyes finally came back into focus.

She was, unfortunately, very alive.

She turned her head slightly to the side, gasping sharply at the pain in her neck. Her eyes wandered around the room. She recognized the crucifixes on the wall and the dark habit tossed on the floor. She held in a sob. Sister Mary Eunice was standing in front of her dresser, looking into the mirror mounted on the wall. She was completely undressed. Lana could see her bandaging her shoulder, the deep hole from the bullet already scabbing over. The scene of her stumbling backward in the forest as Thredson fired the pistol replayed in her head. She snapped out of her thoughts, locking eyes with the nun in the mirror. She quickly turned away, groaning again at the pain in her neck. She lifted a hand up to feel the area, coming in contact with a damp bandage.

"Quit moving. You'll just make it worse." Mary Eunice watched her through the mirror, finishing her bandaging and opening one of the drawers of the dresser. Without turning her neck, Lana looked at the nun. She couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the sight of the woman, not used to the pale skin, contrasting greatly with her usual black habit. She was surprised at how long her golden hair was. How it fell gracefully down her back. Mary Eunice turned to face her, resting her back against the dresser, crossing her arms.

"Wandering eyes will get you nothing Ms. Winters. Not here anyways."

Lana returned her eyes to looking at the ceiling. "Shouldn't I be in the infirmary Sister?" Her voice was accusing in tone. "I assume I will be sent to Sister Jude for punishment after this wound heals."

The blonde walked over to Lana, sitting down next to her on the edge of the mattress. Lana strained to keep her eyes away from the girl's figure, her own feelings of loneliness starting to influence her thoughts. She only glanced to look at the bandages on her shoulder. The nun brushed a few strands of hair out of Lana's face. She smiled before grabbing Lana's chin, wrenching it to the side to force Lana to look at her. Her grip was incredibly strong, and Lana breathed heavily through her nose, her hands grabbing at Mary Eunice's. The nun's eyes were blue for a moment, and Lana watched as they transitioned to black before becoming alight with golden flame-like rays. She must have been hallucinating.

"Oh no Ms. Winters, you're _exactly_ where you're supposed to be." Lana continued to grab at her hand, grunting as the neck wound burned and the pressure on her face increased. Mary Eunice twisted Lana's head to the other side, exposing the wound. Lana let out as much of a scream as she could. "And I wouldn't dare hand you over to Judy. Not when I have you right where I want you." She released Lana's chin with a small push backward. "But trust me, this will be a lot more fun for you than running off with poor little Oliver." Her eyes faded back to blue.

Mary Eunice stood and pulled out a new set of clothes from her dresser. She quickly pulled on her habit and sat on the edge of the bed to pull up her stockings. Lana sat up, tossing her legs off the side of the bed as Mary Eunice finished.

Without thinking of the repercussions, Lana glared at the nun. "You can't possibly keep me here. The others will notice my absence. Sister Jude sure will." Mary Eunice breathed out a small laugh while pulling a coif off of her dresser. She started to pin her hair beneath it when Lana stood.

"What crawled up your ass and died Sister? When I first arrived here you were seemingly heaven sent. You're either a Hollywood grade actress, or one _sick_ twist."

Mary Eunice finished adjusting her coif and brushed off her habit, her back still to Lana. She adjusted her crucifix necklace and spun around. Lana clenched her jaw, her hands in fists at her sides.

"Do you want me to be _nice_, Lana? Is that what you want?" She stepped closer, expecting Lana to recoil, but was surprised as Lana stayed rooted to the spot.

"I can be nice Lana."

The taller woman towered above Lana, bringing a hand softly to her cheek, stroking her thumb across her skin. Lana fiercely held eye contact. "Is this what you want?" She cooed. "Isn't this what you've been craving? The _touch_, of a _woman_?" She dragged her thumb over Lana's lips. Her hand trailed downward, making a path down her neck to her collarbone. She stopped, hearing Lana's breathing speed up. She slowly inched her lips closer to Lana's.

"See? I can be _very_ nice Lana."

The brunette felt herself faltering. Her breathing was heavy, and despite her opinions on the sadistic nun in front of her, her lust started to have a greater impact on her thoughts. She could practically feel Mary Eunice's lips they were so close, and her eyes slipped closed.

There was a loud crack that echoed through the room, and Lana opened her eyes. She was on the floor of the room, both her neck and her cheek were on fire. Mary Eunice's chastity ring had cut her face when she delivered a menacing blow with her backhand. Lana pushed herself up, spitting out a bit of blood. She had bitten her tongue.

"Get up." Mary Eunice adjusted her ring.

"Fuck you." Lana spat.

Mary Eunice giggled, pushing Lana over with her foot onto her back. "I'm sure you'd like that. But only good girls get to touch. My kindness is reserved _only_ for those who are obedient." Lana groaned, her face and neck going numb from the pain. "Maybe now you will reconsider your words next time."

Mary Eunice stretched out a hand and pulled Lana to her feet. She brushed the woman off, wiping the blood from her cheek. "Now Lana, you're going to go into the day room. And you're going to talk with Mr. Walker and whomever else you wish. You can smoke, you can write your silly little notes, you can even play checkers for all I care. But you will not leave. Understood?" Lana wanted to object, but the stinging feeling of her cheek told her to hold her tongue. She would find a way out, but not now. She simply nodded, her eyes cast low. A part of her felt defeated.

"Good. I will collect you once I've finished my errands." She led Lana outside the room and locked her door behind them before accompanying Lana to the day room. "This is going to be very fun for you Lana, once you learn to listen. I promise." She smirked and continued down the hallway, away from Lana as she weakly entered the crowded room. The French tune flooded her ears, almost drowning out the screams inside her head.


	4. The Apple And The Book

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! This one was a bit longer. Also, consider this chapter the Tusk album of this fic. Kinda experimenting with this dynamic a bit. :)**

The ripped cloth was stained yellow, a sickly color surrounding the dried blood. Oliver achingly pulled the makeshift bandage from his thigh, the fibers sticking to the exposed muscle, taking small pieces of skin with it as it pulled away from the wound. The doctor let out painful groans, finally removing the cloth completely. He dropped it onto the concrete beside him.

The wound was terribly deep, he swore it even hit his femur. But what did he expect? Surely a nun with supernatural abilities would have great aim. If they even were supernatural to begin with. Even with all he had experienced, the man of science couldn't grasp the concept of someone, a woman at that, being anything more than human. But he was trying. He even considered the notion of God, only because of his miraculous survival.

He had pulled the knife out of his thigh as the nun and Lana had disappeared into the tunnel. He couldn't walk, let alone run. He had crawled to the brush near where he was thrown, taking a tree branch to support his weight. It was then he had heard the creatures. The rustling of leaves underneath feet, mysterious eyes looking through the dark. He noticed his pistol left on the ground, seemingly glowing. It was like both bodies acted at once, Oliver grabbing his gun, and the creatures rushing at him. He fired once, heard a scream, and the eyes disappeared. He didn't waste time investigating.

But that was the past now, and Oliver had many questions, but he had to focus on the future. He was never one to back down, always determined. He redressed his wound, and turned to his metal desk. He normally didn't work in the basement on things like this, but he found comfort in the room. Good memories. He lifted his briefcase onto the desk and opened it, revealing a large book, freshly bought from a friend of a friend. It was old, and the pages were ripped and damaged. He couldn't read the cover, but trusted the dealer. This was the Key of Solomon. He sighed, doubting himself, but opened the book anyway.

* * *

It had been a few days since she had awoken in Sister Mary Eunice's room. The first day ended well. Struck by fear, Lana had done what the Sister had asked, or well, commanded. She was retrieved from the day room, and spent the night in Mary Eunice's room. That night was quiet. Tense, but somewhat safe. Like enough had been done for the day. She missed the silence.

She had earned two new injuries, one on her abdomen and the other on her back. Her older injuries weren't healing very well either. She had earned the first one in the morning on the second day. Mary Eunice had asked her if she wanted to join her in the shower, and Lana had angrily spat back some vulgarity. She couldn't remember what she said. All she could replay in her head was Mary Eunice suddenly appearing in front of her, clearing the room in one whole step. Her nails were sharp, and drew blood across her stomach, breaking the skin just enough to let small droplets leak through the scratch. She then immediately kissed the reporters cheek, smiling as she walked away and into the adjacent wash room. Her eyes were dark. But the conflicting actions made Lana's head spin.

The second one she had gotten at night the third day. She had left the day room to work in the kitchen. She needed to escape the tortuous sounds, she was starting to lose her grip. Mary Eunice was very displeased, to say the least. As soon as they were out of sight of the other inmates and staff, the blonde had drug her by the hair to her room. Lana tried to create a struggle, but was quickly subdued. The blonde had pinned her onto their bed, and burned her with a cigarette on her left shoulder blade. Lana had let out a smothered scream, and was startled when Mary Eunice had removed the burning ash, laying tender kisses on her back. She had gently whispered to Lana. "I don't want to punish you, but how else will you learn?" She continued to gently caress the burned areas. "I'm sorry this hurts you." The words kept repeating in Lana's head. Over. And over.

It was now the fourth day. Lana woke up, and Mary Eunice was already dressed. She was always awake before her. She wondered if she really slept. The brunette felt her neck, her bandage was fresh. Same with the gauze covering her hand. She hadn't even felt the nun change them.

"Should I just go to the day room or do I need an escort now?" Her voice was dry.

"No, there's a change of plans today. You will be accompanying me outside." She turned to glance at Lana, shooting her a smile.

Lana immediately turned to the worst case scenario. She was being executed. She spoke automatically.

"You don't have to do that, I won't leave the day room, I swear!" She was surprised at her own desperate tone. She felt the color leave her face. She let out a heavy breath, conflicted with herself.

Mary Eunice made a sympathetic face, changing into a smile as she walked over to Lana. She gently stroked her cheek with her hand.

"Don't worry, it's not what you think. I know why you've been acting out, I haven't given you a true reason to enjoy this yet. That is going to change." She offered Lana her hand.

Lana avoided the nun's eyes, not sure if her vague proposal was a better option than an execution. She gave Mary Eunice her good hand, and was helped up. She was lead over to Mary Eunice's closet. The blonde opened the small armoire, and pulled out a yellow-green blazer and skirt. Lana was shocked. It was hers. She remembered the last time she wore it. Her first appearance at Briarcliff. The green turtleneck was tucked in between the two articles of clothing. She thought she would puke when she saw the 'L' pin stuck in the blazer.

"I thought you should have something comfortable to wear today. Something to help you blend into the real world." The words were soft. She handed the bundle of clothes to the reporter, who took them hesitantly.

Lana traced the pin with her finger. The feel of the metal was comforting. "Where did you get these?" It was a whisper, not meant to be heard.

"Don't ask questions when you aren't prepared for the answer." Her voice was cold again. "Hurry and get changed please, I still need to cover that scratch on your face."

Lana changed, the feeling of genuine cloth giving her skin the feeling of bliss. Mary Eunice proceeded to cover her mark with concealer, and let Lana brush her hair. She once again didn't know where the nun got these things, but decided to let it be. A part of her was excited. Happy even. The other part thought she was insane. It was angry, and frightened.

They left Briarcliff through the front door, no one questioning the nun, and no one recognizing Lana in casual dress. The fresh air sent warmth through Lana's body. She followed the nun down the gravel road, finally reaching the main road, where a cab was waiting. They both entered, and the car automatically started moving. Lana looked over to the nun to speak, but stopped when she noticed the nun undressing. The blonde had removed her coif, her hair falling perfectly past her shoulders. She unbuttoned the back of her habit, peeling it off, revealing a golden lined navy dress. She neatly folded her discarded cloths and placed them between the two women.

"You honestly thought I would go out in that?" She said, when she saw Lana staring.

"Sorry, I, this is a bit confusing."

Were they talking? Casually? Lana's head was spinning. She felt nauseous. Her gut was still very much alert to the danger she was in, but she felt unusually secure. Unusually excited. Unusually…aroused? The combination of the thrill of leaving Briarcliff, no matter if it was temporary, and the sight of Mary Eunice was overwhelming. Her legs were so long. Lean. Strong. Her mind wandered.

"Stop." She couldn't tell if this was directed at the driver or at her. She figured both.

Within seconds of speaking, the cab came to a halt. Lana flew forward, her thoughts distracting her. Mary Eunice quickly blocked her from ramming face first into the front seat with her arm. The nun shot her a knowing look, and Lana bit the inside of her cheek. Were they there already? Better question, where exactly was _there_? Mary Eunice exited the cab, Lana following out her opened door.

They were in the middle of a high end plaza. She had never seen this kind of luxury before. The shops were busy, and she saw jewels and dresses in the windows. Everyone passing by was pristine. Or at least they all seemed pristine. Compared to her company at Briarcliff they were heavenly divinity. Lana followed the blonde, trying not to think about the fact that she practically glowed in the sunlight. They both got odd looks as they walked down the store fronts.

"If you see something you like, tell me." Mary Eunice turned her head to speak to Lana, still following behind her.

She turned, walking into a shop. Lana only got a glance at the shop name etched on the glass door, gasping a bit. Harry Winston Inc. She felt like she was immediately going to break something. As a child she had always read of the jewels crafted in this store, how they only hung around movie star's necks. She lost Mary Eunice as she rounded the display cases. The desire was overwhelming. She looked around the store. It was strange. It was completely empty, aside from Mary Eunice and the shop keep. She looked back at the display case. The necklace inside was stunning. It shocked Lana how much it resembled the one she imagined she would have one day, once her journalism took off. She was going to be a star, and she was going to dress like one. It was silver, with emeralds woven between diamonds in a thin line, two similar lines connected, each hanging below the one before it.

Mary Eunice appeared behind her, wrapping her arms around Lana's middle. "Is that the one you want?"

Lana shook the woman off, immediately conscious of being seen with another woman. She glanced around the shop again. Still empty. The shop keeper was unmoving. Lana felt a shiver go down her spine. She immediately remembered the presence of the blonde. Fear struck her again, looking into golden eyes instead of blue. She breathed out a yes.

Mary Eunice smiled, and looked at the shop keeper. He immediately walked over, without a word, and unlocked the case. "Take it." The blonde spoke from behind her shoulder, almost directly into her ear. Time seemed to go in slow motion, her hands taking the necklace from the case. A shock went through her hands as she felt the precious gems. The shop keep took the jewels from her hand, walking to the counter. They followed, and watched as he placed them in their correct case and into a small bag. He handed it to Lana. All without a word. His eyes were unresponsive. Lana's gut was screaming at her to back away. To run. Something was _wrong_ here. She snapped into reality for a moment, her gut's pleas finally reaching her infatuated brain.

"_What did you do_?" There was a bit of horror in her voice.

"Don't waste an opportunity like this on meaningless questions Lana. The necklace is yours, _take it_."

Lana hesitated, fear once again growing inside her, she even felt a rush of adrenaline. Fight or flight? Fight or flight? _Oh screw it._ She took the bag from the man.

Mary Eunice grinned.

They both exited the store, spending the next few hours strolling around the plaza until Mary Eunice lead her back to the cab. It had pulled up just as the nun reached the curbside. They both entered the cab again, the nun's habit still lying on the seat. Lana had been distracted by the luxurious surroundings. She had denied to obtain anything else on their visit, simply following the blonde around as she picked out an assortment of items. Perfumes, a single candy apple, and a ruby ring she had gotten at the jewelers.

Lana's mind stumbled out of its material ecstasy, and thought back to the seemingly lifeless shop keep. She then looked at the cab driver. He had the same glazed over look. Lana speculated while the blonde toyed with her things. Mary Eunice smiled, Lana thinking it was about the new possessions. The blonde eavesdropped on Lana's mind. She would keep the gruesome details of the strange men to herself this time. Lana didn't have to know of their fates. The brunette was finally turning. Slowly. She was stubborn, but Mary Eunice liked that. The blonde smiled to herself at the thought of Lana being completely hers. She imagined the brunette breaking down completely, looking only to her for guidance. For direction. For security. She would destroy Lana, and rebuild her. The scene of the fate of the shop keep also ran through her mind. Her smile grew. She loved the sight of blood.


	5. An Unholy War Begins

**Author's Note: I'm so glad you are all enjoying this! Thank you for the kind words! This story is just getting started i'm so happy to have you all along for the ride! Next chapter will be earlier tomorrow :)**

Mary Eunice sat on Sister Jude's desk, rummaging through files, reading a few lines of one before tossing it onto the desk. She was starting to grow bored of her little investigations. She picked up the scattered files and placed them back into the cabinet, pushing it closed with her hip. She rounded the desk, dragging her finger on the dark wood. Ever since her sabotage of Jude's sobriety on the night of the storm, the older nun kept a small glass bottle of wine in the bottom drawer of her desk. The blonde took it out of its hiding place, opening it and smelling the substance. It burned her nostrils, and she giggled a bit. The older nun must have added something stronger to the bottle lately. She twirled it around in her hands, watching the liquid swirl in the glass. She had been thinking of how she wanted to expel Jude for a while now. She could easily do what she had done prior to the men on her and Lana's outing, but that was messy, and not quite as satisfying. She could continue her little phone calls, leaving little gifts until she offed herself, but that wasn't very entertaining. She wanted something subtle and fun to watch. Something degrading. She smiled, and brought the top of the bottle close to her lips. She blew into the bottle, mumbling sinister whispers into the liquid. This was one of her favorite tricks. The blonde quickly corked the small vial and returned it, closing the drawer. She moved to the cabinet, pretending to search for something, biting her lip, mimicking concentration. The door burst open and the older nun strolled in.

"Mary Eunice, what are you doing in here?" She was frustrated, but not with her.

"Dr. Thredson called in earlier, he is very ill, and he requested a certain file on Mr. Walker. I thought I would retrie-."

"Alright alright, just take the file and leave, I have much work to do." She waved her hand, motioning Mary Eunice to the door while she sat down behind the desk. She opened her bottom drawer.

"Of course, Sister." She blinked innocently and took a random file, exiting the room. She closed the door behind her, resting her back against the wall while she heard the pop of the cork. She'd be gone within the week.

* * *

The needle had made Oliver's skin numb. He had been at this for hours now. He had gone through every square inch of the grimoire, and he found no other options but to try and protect himself. The Seal of Solomon was a stretch, but he finally finished the intricate inscriptions. He didn't feel any different. No surge of power or confidence. He felt like he was spiraling, suddenly trusting in ridiculous symbols and religious lore. He was truly going insane, more so than he was before. He had already invested _so much _into Lana, he couldn't let it go. Couldn't let _her_ go. He then pulled down his shirt sleeve, covering the pattern. He reloaded his pistol and placed it back in his jacket.

The drive was stressful. He had spent his time fixing his leg, creating a brace for it slim enough to slide under his slacks. He could walk normally if he didn't mind a little pain. He walked back into the dark asylum, nodding to the security guard as he walked past. He entered the day room, expecting to see at least one of the women, but saw neither. He slowly walked in, grabbing a cigarette off the table and lighting it, inspecting the room.

Lana had just stepped out to use the restroom, and she returned just as the doctor walked further into the common room. She froze. He didn't see her, and she backed out of the doorway. She ran back to the bathroom, unable to think about what to do. _He can get you out of here! _Her gut was screaming at her. Her hands automatically went to the necklace, lying peacefully under her patient gown. Her mind then went to the incident in the woods. Mary Eunice's words rang in her ears. _'__I'm sure you wouldn't agree to spending the rest of your life chained to a bed in his basement.'_ Was she right? Was that his plan for her? Her head kept switching between each scenario, either the proposed imprisonment with Oliver, or the current servitude with Mary Eunice. Obviously she preferred the latter. She was developing an unnatural attachment to the blonde. She groaned. A part of her longed for an escape. A way out.

"Shit." She hissed at herself, before leaving the restroom and walking down the hall. She had to find Mary Eunice.

She slipped down the hall, walking to Jude's office. The older nun could have someone fetch the blonde. She knocked on the door before opening it, and she gasped at the sight. Jude was on the floor next to her desk, her back against the wood. She was mumbling to herself, anxiously rocking back and forth. Lana noticed an empty bottle on her desk.

She instinctively stepped back out of the office, and was pushed against the wall adjacent.

"Lana, I thought you were going to be good. I must say, I'm very disappointed."

The blonde had her hand on Lana's chest, and she had a hard time breathing due to the pressure.

"I was looking for you." She was breathing hard. "Thredson. He's here."

The blonde immediately released her, and Lana took in a deep breath.

"I take it back. I'm pleased." She smiled at Lana. "Where is he?"

"Day room."

Mary Eunice stroked her cheek. "Thank you for telling me. You _will_ be rewarded."

Lana was worried what exactly that meant. If it was anything like Jude's version of a reward, she would rather pass.

The blonde kissed her forehead and walked away, her steps powerful.

Mary Eunice walked to the day room, listening for the doctor's voice, whether spoken aloud or in thought. She heard him mumble a frustration to himself in his head. He was about to walk out of the room. Mary Eunice continued past the open doors, walking down the hallway towards her room. The doctor spotted her, and followed behind her shortly after. The doctor trailed a distance behind, realizing she was walking to a secluded part of the building, away from the inmates. He watched her unlock her door and walk inside. He jumped on the chance to trap her.

The doctor slowly opened Mary Eunice's door. His pistol was already in hand.

"Hello Oliver." Mary Eunice was sitting on her bed, legs crossed.

She looked at the pistol, and groaned. "Again Oliver? You do know how that ended last time, don't you?"

Mary Eunice moved to wave her hand, intending to send the gun out of his hand again. He didn't move. The doctor pulled up his sleeve, revealing the fresh tattoo.

Mary Eunice laughed. "Clever! I haven't seen that for a long time. But I doubt you're as skilled as its creator."

He aimed the pistol. "Lana. Where is she?"

"She's wherever I want her to be." She stood, starting to approach him.

"Get back." He was surprised when she stopped. Even more so when she was forced backward a bit.

The blonde laughed again, her head thrown back. She stretched her neck and looked back at the doctor. He was startled at the intensity of the golden eyes.

"I hope you know what you're dealing with Oliver. That little doodle is quite the oath."

He fired the gun, but wasn't quick enough. Mary Eunice avoided the bullet entirely and forced him down. She kicked the firearm from his hand, it sliding into the doorway.

"GET BACK."

Mary Eunice was pushed away from the doctor, hitting the wall. She snarled, and grabbed a letter opener from the nightstand next to her. Oliver had jumped to his feet, trying to go for his pistol. Mary Eunice ran towards him, stabbing the letter opener into his stomach, throwing him into the foot of the bed.

Mary Eunice started to walk over to the man, him being on the floor. The doctor sat up, grunting unintelligible words. Mary Eunice didn't even understand them, and gasped when her knees started to buckle, and she slammed to the floor onto her back. She couldn't move.

The doctor tried to dislodge the letter opener from his abdomen, but wasn't able to remove it. He turned to his pistol in the doorway, seeing the brunette, a mortified expression on her face.

"Lana!" He groaned, trying to face her. He couldn't stand. "Quickly, she can't move!"

Lana gave him a puzzled look. He pointed his chin at the pistol lying at her feet. She tentatively picked up the firearm. It was heavy in her hand. She looked at the doctor's wound. There was a puddle forming around him. She then looked at the blonde. She struggled on the floor. _You want an escape._

"What are you waiting for?!"

Her hand shook a bit, and the blonde stopped struggling. Lana closed her eyes. _A way out._

The shot rang through the hallway.

Lana slumped down, dropping the gun. She hugged her knees, burying her face. She sat in the silence for a moment.

"Nice shot."


	6. War Spoils

Lana hadn't moved from her spot in the doorway. She peaked over her knees, staying silent as the body was pulled from its position.

"You know, you _could_ help clean up your little mess."

Lana sighed, and rested her forehead back down.

She heard the body being dropped down with a thud. Mary Eunice let out a sigh.

The bullet had hit Oliver's neck, passing through completely and ingraining itself in the concrete floor. Mary Eunice had slowly recovered her autonomy. She had laughed when she saw Oliver fall to his side a midst a ray of crimson.

The blonde huffed and turned to Lana.

"Why don't you go to the kitchen and have one of the other Sisters make you something. I'll clean this up." She paused. "It's easier without you feeling guilty in the doorway." Her tone was soft. A lot softer than her sarcastic remark when Lana first fired the gun. The brunette didn't move.

Mary Eunice walked over and tapped Lana with her foot. She looked up into blue eyes.

"Go on. Tell them I need whatever it is you want. Once you come back, all of this will be gone."

The blonde had been thrilled by Lana's choice. The reporter's thoughts had been very contradictory to her actions. She was almost worried.

The nun helped the girl to her feet and pressed their foreheads together. Lana's eyes were darker than usual.

"I am _very_ proud of you Lana." Mary Eunice tilted her head and placed kisses along Lana's jaw, moving towards her ear. She nibbled on her earlobe, Lana letting out a small gasp at the contact. The blonde let out a sultry whisper. "Go."

Lana shivered, and hesitantly nodded. It was like she was put into a trance. She felt a bit embarrassed at the heat growing in between in her legs. She doubted it was appropriate to be turned on within five feet of a corpse. She turned and walked back down the hall, making her way to the kitchen.

Lana had the orderlies in the kitchen give her a bottle of the communion wine. She took it to her old cell, sitting down on the torn mattress. She lied down. The mattress was rough, it felt like it wasn't even there. She was just lying on metal. She suddenly started to appreciate her new room. She took a drink.

A few hours passed. The bottle was on the floor of her room, and Lana was giggling to herself. Her drunken mind was stumbling through the events of the past week. She decided to focus on her new found partner in crime. She turned on her mattress, smiling into her pillow. The image of her peeling off her habit in the cab came into her mind, followed by the sway of her hips as they walked through the plaza. She had to admit, even though the nun's power scared the hell out of her, it was undeniably sexy.

Like on a cue, the door to her cell opened. Lana jumped a bit.

Mary Eunice closed the door behind her.

"All clean." She smiled.

Lana laughed. "I was just thinking about you!" Her words were a bit slurred, and she let out a small giggle.

"I _know_. Very naughty." She waved her finger at Lana, tssking. She walked over to Lana, climbing onto the mattress, straddling the woman. Lana giggled again. She noticed the devious look in the blonde's eyes, the heat growing in between her legs.

"You gave me quite the rush today Lana. You should fire a gun more often." The blonde leaned forward, her hands supporting her. A shock ran down Lana's spine, her dark eyes focused on the icy blue ones looking down at her. Mary Eunice snaked down to her neck, planting lingering kisses and small bites on her sensitive skin. Her wound had healed, but the skin was still tender. She moved to hover her lips above Lana's. The reporter couldn't wait any longer.

Lana crashed their lips together, running her hands through Mary Eunice's golden hair, tossing the coif away from them. The blonde bit harshly down on her lower lip. She could taste blood mixed in with the sweetness of the nun's lips. Lana let out a small moan into the other woman's mouth, inciting a smirk from the blonde. Lana tried to undo the buttons on the back of Mary Eunice's habit, her intoxicated state making it more challenging. The nun pushed Lana back down onto the mattress, unbuttoning it herself, pulling it over her head and tossing it aside.

The blood red lingerie was as intoxicating as the wine. Lana's eyes trailed down the exposed skin. She moved to grab Mary Eunice's hips, but the blonde flicked her wrist and Lana was forced backwards. The blonde tore off the thin denim gown covering the brunette, leaving only her panties. Mary Eunice smirked, Lana was still wearing her necklace. She leaned down and bit the reporter's collarbone, dragging her nails down Lana's chest, leaving small red trails down her skin. Her lips moved downward to Lana's breast. She drew lazy circles with her tongue, nipping and sucking as she pleased. Lana moaned, her breathing speeding up. Mary Eunice slipped her leg in between Lana's. The reporter could feel the warmth on her thigh, but was instantly distracted as the blonde's leg moved against her center. The nun dragged her teeth down Lana's stomach, leaving a small bite on tender skin just above her cotton panties. Mary Eunice slid down, eyes turning gold, Lana getting a rush of adrenaline at the sight.

"Close your eyes and I'll stop."

The blonde removed the woman's panties, keeping eye contact as she ran her tongue through Lana's folds. The brunette moaned loudly, eyes rolling back slightly. It had been so long since she had felt this. She tried desperately to move her arms, to grip the sheets, anything. She pleaded in her head, not being able to speak. The blonde flicked her wrist before gripping Lana's hips, her nails digging into her skin. Lana immediately grabbed the sheet, her back arching as Mary Eunice's tongue flicked over her clit. Lana wouldn't last long at this rate, the blonde knowing exactly where to touch and what to do. The blonde replaced her tongue with her hand, bringing her face to Lana's, golden eyes boring into Lana's brown ones. She continued to assault her clit with her thumb, slowly sliding two fingers into the writhing brunette beneath her. Lana's eyes started to slip closed, the woman trying hard to keep them open. Mary Eunice grabbed her chin with her free hand.

"Look. At. Me."

It was a sinister command, and Lana stared back at the fierce woman. Mary Eunice drew one more circle around Lana's clit, and she was pushed over the edge. The blonde watched her eyes roll back, her back arched into the nun. The reporter moaned into Mary Eunice's mouth, the nun kissing her hard as she came, feeling her muscles tighten around her fingers. She helped Lana ride out the waves of her orgasm, and Lana rested her forehead on the blonde's shoulder. She withdrew her fingers, licking the wetness off, savoring the taste. She lied down next to Lana, propping her head up with her hand.

Mary Eunice drew patterns on Lana's skin with her finger. The reporter was still breathing heavy.

"Having fun yet?"


	7. Truth and Transition

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that if you really want to see a certain thing happen or plot play out, PM me or leave a review and I'll try to put more of those things into upcoming chapters! This is for you guys after all, I think you should be able to have a say in what happens! And thanks for the lovely words, you are all wonderful. 3**

A week had passed by, and Briarcliff felt like a completely different place. Sister Jude had been committed to the asylum after attacking an orderly. Lana had seen her in the day room from time to time. She would sit in the corner, whispering things to herself. The reporter couldn't make out many of the words, only hearing some mutterings of 'whiskey' and 'little girl in blue'.

Mary Eunice had taken over both Jude's office and personal quarters. Lana had been relieved when they moved rooms. She swore she could feel the remnants of Oliver each time she entered the other one. Mary Eunice had loosened her control over Lana's whereabouts during the day, but regardless, the reporter noticed an increasing possessiveness in the blonde. The bruises on her arms were more proof than she needed. Still, Lana had made an admittedly unhealthy attachment to the blonde. She felt like she needed her.

Lana had been walking to the infirmary. She was hoping they would have something to help her bruises, plus Mary Eunice had given her some files to deliver. She was walking alone, only her own footsteps echoing down the hall when suddenly another pair appeared.

"Lana." The voice was sympathetic. Male. Familiar.

Lana turned around, and she swore she saw Oliver's dark eyes behind horn rimmed glasses staring back at her, but she blinked and he was gone. Lana clutched the files to her chest as she looked around. She was stopped right outside the entrance to the solitary ward. She had a horrible feeling in her gut. Something told her to go in. To search. Must have been the journalist inside her. She walked through the heavy metal doors. The brunette creeped past each cell, hearing only faint mumbling and weak breathing. She walked further down the row of cells. She got to the last pair. Her gut was on fire.

"Oliver?" She whispered.

She peaked through the door's metal opening, gasping at the sight.

Oliver was hog tied, lying on the floor. Blood still stained his clothes, and his neck had a significant dark red mark where her bullet had passed through him, but he was alive. Healed even, aside from discoloration. Or so she thought. Her eyes traveled down to his chest. His shirt had been slashed, along with his torso and arms. Those wounds were fresh. His eyes widened at the sight of Lana, and he tried to move closer.

"Oh my god. Oh my god." Lana closed the metal flap. She scrambled away from the door.

"Lana. Please. Get me out of here." His voice was weak, and painful.

Lana hesitated for a moment. "Why aren't you dead?" She had no clue what Mary Eunice was capable of, but she never thought she could do something like this. He was _dead._ "Did she do this to you?"

Oliver took in a breath and groaned, still trying to move closer. He thought back to when the bullet pierced his neck.

~Mary Eunice had finally gotten Lana to leave when she turned back to him. He had been watching from outside his body, and Mary Eunice could see him.

"Rough day hmm Oliver? Your new mommy doesn't seem to like you very much." The nun hoisted his body over her shoulder. He tried to rush her, but couldn't make contact. He passed through the blonde. She laughed. "You really must have no idea what that thing on your arm is." She walked out of the room towards the solitary block. Oliver followed. He couldn't speak, only watch.

She made it to the farthest cell in the block, tossing his corpse into the disgusting room. She took the rope she had prepared earlier and securely tied the body's limbs together. She stood and dusted off her hands. "You see Oliver, that little doodle is an _oath_. You can die a thousand times, but until you kill me, you will always come back. I'm just making sure you stay out of my way. I have _lots_ of work to do." She closed the metal door and locked it. "Have fun." She winked and walked away, hearing the former corpse take its second first breath as she made her way down the hall.~

"Yes." He breathed. He just needed Lana to untie him. "She's going to do the same to you. She's toying with you Lana." Silence. "Please, you have to get me out of here." He coughed, his throat closing up from loss of moisture.

"I-."

Lana felt a sharp pain in her head. Her body panicked. She had to get out of here. She jumped to her feet, backing away from the cell.

"I'm sorry."

She turned and sprinted out of the cell block. Oliver yelled as loud as he could, trying to get her to come back. Lana regained her breath, the pain subsiding as the doors shut behind her. She nervously continued to the infirmary. Guilt fell upon her. The sight of the doctor was thrilling. A part of her even liked it. She shivered.

* * *

That night Lana entered their room. She hadn't seen Mary Eunice since she had given her the files that morning. The blonde was sitting up in bed, back resting on the headboard. She was reading. Lana thought it was strange, she had never seen the woman do something so… human. The blonde looked up from her novel and smiled, motioning the brunette to join her. Lana could tell she was in a good mood. She furiously suppressed the thoughts of her encounter this morning.

Lana sat down beside the blonde on the bed.

"Did you find it?"

Lana gave her a confused look. Her stomach twisted with nervousness.

"The medicine? For your arms." The blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"Oh, yes, yes I did. They didn't let me take it out of the infirmary." She raised her wrists. "Much better."

They sat in silence a bit, Mary Eunice still reading. She flipped the page when she spoke, eyes still focused on the novel.

"Don't pretend you can hide things from me Lana."

"What do you mean?" Lana immediately felt nauseous.

"I know all about your little detour." Her voice was even. She flipped the page.

Lana's face turned pale. She mustered up some courage and straightened her back. "I only talked to him."

"I know."

"How could you _possibly_ know?"

Mary Eunice closed her book, tossing it onto the bed into her lap, looking over at the brunette. "Lana," her voice was sweet, "I know _everything_. You're mine."

"What the fuck does that even _mean_? I'm your fucking hostage." A surge of anger went through her.

"Hostage?" She laughed. "Did you _not _chose me?" Mary Eunice's eyes started to fade. "I mean for fucks sake Lana, there were _five_ rounds in that pistol, but you only shot _once_. You shot _Oliver_." She turned on the bed, now facing Lana. "I see every desire in your _pathetic_ little heart. You _love_ this. You love the _rush_, you love the _power_. You gave yourself to me willingly. You're _mine_. Body _and_ soul. And you love it."

Lana was shocked. Her mouth hung open for a bit. She turned away from the blonde, facing forward. Mary Eunice picked her book back up.

"I'm going to hell, aren't I?"

The blonde smirked. "If you're lucky."

Lana rested her head back on the headboard, lightly hitting it against the wood.

"Well, now that you've spilled my guts, what do I do now?"

"First of all, get over Thredson. He isn't leaving that cell." She turned her page.

Lana sighed. The grizzly image of his current state came back into her head.

"Second, get writing."

Lana raised an eyebrow at the nun.

"You're going to write a lovely tale of all the delicious horrors occurring in Briarcliff. That _is_ what you came here for correct?" She didn't look up from her novel.

"I don't have anything to write with. Unless you prefer pencil on cardboard."

"Desk."

Lana looked at the small desk in the room. She hadn't even noticed the typewriter sitting on top of it when she walked in. She got up and walked over to it, gliding her fingers over the metal keys. It was gorgeous, the black metal shined even in the dim light of the room.

"Once you finish, we leave. Keep my name out of it."

One word caught her attention. "Leave?"

"Mmhmm."

She was exhilarated. She walked back over and climbed in next to Mary Eunice. She grabbed the book and tossed it onto the floor. Mary Eunice huffed before getting tangled in Lana's kiss. She reached over and turned out the light, Lana pulling her closer to her.

They wouldn't get much sleep.


	8. Blueberry Tart

**Author's Note: ;)**

Mary Eunice was getting bored with the inmates of Briarcliff. Even though she loved seeing Jude fall to shambles every time she walked into the room, she was losing interest in the others. They had grown accustomed to her. The thrill was gone, and that wouldn't do.

She was growing restless, smoking a cigarette, her feet on her desk. She let out a slow stream of smoke, lost in thought. She sifted through each individual thought coming from the asylum. Something cryptic and angsty from Arden, Mr. Walker was about to pick a fight with Spivey, Grace was admiring Mr. Walker's form, Shelley was getting Carl off, boring, boring, boring.

She flicked the ash off of her cigarette. She tuned her ears to her quarters, expecting to hear Lana typing away. Instead she heard Lana thinking to herself. Her mood turned even sourer. She had little patience for her writer's block, and had instructed her to stay in their room and work. She tapped into Lana's senses, smelling something sweet. She had gone into the bakery. Mary Eunice could even taste the blueberry tart. Her eyes narrowed. Lana had been feeling too safe. The blonde had been coddling her, she admitted. She let Lana's inner voice play in her head.

She listened as the brunette argued with herself. The blonde laughed a bit. She was thinking about Thredson. Lana tried to shake out the image of his tortured body from her head, accusing herself of being a monster. Mary Eunice took another drag, smirking. The reporter wondered if she could let him go somehow. Somehow convince him to leave the state. The country even. Her guilty conscience was starting to have an effect. She was even thinking of releasing him herself. Mary Eunice scowled, but an idea popped into her head. Mary Eunice left the brunette's thoughts. A smile crept onto her face.

* * *

Lana had finally punched out a few pages on her typewriter. Mary Eunice had told her last night to embellish anything she wanted. She even offered to turn any imagined patient abuse into reality. Lana turned her down. She wanted to keep the novel as true as possible, but she was running out of material. Most of her early memories were lost to her, Jude's electro-shock therapy taking them with it. Plus, her life at Briarcliff hadn't been so awful with Mary Eunice, and it wasn't like she could tell the tale of the nun's abuse anyways.

She leaned back in her chair and sighed, jumping when the door opened. The feet of the chair slammed onto the concrete. The blonde walked over behind her, wrapping her arms affectionately around her neck. She kissed Lana's temple.

"How's it going?" Mary Eunice stood up straight, her hands resting on each of Lana's shoulders. Her grip was tighter than usual.

"Just as well as yesterday." She groaned. "I can't remember anything from my first few days, aside from that they were the worst."

"Well it should be easier, writing on a full stomach."

Lana sighed and pursed her lips. "Come off it Mary. So I went and got something to eat. You're not going to starve me."

The blonde harshly pulled her hair, forcing her head back.

"Maybe I should give you something to write about? Would that help?" The sweet tone was patronizing.

Lana was pulled upwards, forcing her to stand.

"You really should focus on the subject at hand anyways. You're getting too distracted."

"I left to get a snack. I wouldn't call that distracted." Her words were strained. Mary Eunice started to pull her out of the room and down the hallway.

"No not with that Lana. I know what's been plaguing you. You feel bad for poor little Oliver."

Lana gritted her teeth. Once again her brain was confused by the conflicting signals. The harshness of Mary Eunice's grip and her sweet concerned tone of voice left her in a painful grey area.

Lana hadn't replied, and suddenly Mary Eunice had dragged her to the solitary block. She released her hair and pushed her fiercely at Oliver's cell door.

"Go ahead, check on him." There was a frightening playfulness in her words.

Lana kneeled down. She sighed, and weakly opened the metal flap. She let out an earsplitting scream. Oliver rested his head against the opening, and as the metal moved his eyes shot open. They were bloodshot and wild. Before Lana could back away, his hand shot through the slot, grabbing at her. He had broken the rope tying his limbs together. His wrist was bloody, infection forming in the wounds from the rope. He let out a fearsome snarl. Lana screamed again, falling back and moving away as fast as possible. Oliver continued to groan and yell.

"I know, he's quite the sight. He's almost as bad as you would be, if he got his way. Though I do suppose you would have been cleaner."

Lana hugged her knees.

Mary Eunice squatted down next to Lana.

"Now I know you feel bad for him Lana, but after this you won't."

Mary Eunice breathed into Lana's ear, much like she did with Jude's vial. Lana's eyes glazed over.

~Lana woke up slowly. Her bed was soft, and she caressed the sheets. Her eyes wandered, catching sight of the wooden picture frame on the nightstand. Her sweet Wendy. She smiled. She could even smell breakfast cooking. She looked around, and her smile quickly faded. The chains on the ceiling, the dark room, the surgical equipment mounted on the walls. She shot up to a sitting position.

"Mmm, is there anything more heavenly than waking from a nap, to the smell of croque-monsieur?"

Lana screamed, trying to run, but the ankle chain tore into her leg. She cried for help. She cried for Mary Eunice.~

Back in the present, Mary Eunice sat with her back against the wall. Lana had slumped over, and the blonde moved the brunette into her lap. She stroked her dark hair playfully. Oliver kept groaning.

"You know this is over right?" She smirked at the metal door.

"After this, she might even bash your head in herself." She laughed a bit. "I wonder how you'll come back from that one."

Oliver remained silent.

The blonde rested her head back against the wall, closing her eyes for a moment. Lana started to stir, and her eyes shot open. She gasped for air and screamed. Mary Eunice took her face in her hands gently.

"You're fine, you're fine."

Lana pushed her away and stood. She backed away from both the door and the nun. She let out an aggravated scream. She kicked the cell door furiously before storming down the hall. Mary Eunice quickly walked after her.

"Oh calm down." The blonde called after her. She followed Lana to their quarters, entering the room behind her and shutting the door.

"Screw you!" Lana's hands clutched to her head. She turned to the blonde, seeing red.

"Screw you!" She stormed forward, shoving the nun backwards.

"How fucking dare you. How _dare _you?!"

The blonde rolled her eyes and smiled at the reporter. Lana shoved her again.

"You're sexy when you're angry." The blonde smiled.

"Go fuck yourself."

The blonde grabbed the brunette and slammed her against the door. "But that's what I have _you_ for."

Lana wrestled herself free of the nun's hold. Mary Eunice pouted. "Oh, please."

Lana sat down on the edge of the bed, head in hands.

"I hate you."

Mary Eunice walked over and stood in front of her. "Good." Her voice was sultry.

Lana stood face to face with the blonde. "I _hate_ you."

The blonde stood silent, tension rising. Mary Eunice's eyes had turned gold, and Lana stared back into the flaming orbs, scowling.

Lana let out an aggravated groan, pushing Mary Eunice back into the dresser across from the edge of the bed. She kissed the blonde as hard as possible, both of her hands pushing hard on the blonde's shoulders before tearing off her coif. Mary Eunice laughed, and Lana pulled her golden hair, tilting the nun's head to the side.

"Shut. Up." It was more of a growl than anything. Mary Eunice smirked.

Lana bit down hard on Mary Eunice's neck, releasing her hair and ripping her necklace off with a snap. The blonde let out a small gasp. Lana twisted the blonde around, pushing her chest into the dresser.

"Watch it." The blonde's voice was darker than usual. Lana didn't care.

The brunette tore open the buttons of her habit. She hated the black cloth. She hated the uniform. She hated this place and everyone in it. The blonde moved to assist, and Lana pulled the habit off, fiercely throwing it on the floor. This time her lingerie was black lace. The blonde moved to turn around but Lana pushed her back. The nun hissed.

Lana shed her own dress and molded her front to the blonde's back. She bit at her neck again and moved to her shoulder. She left red marks on her skin, and her hand snaked down her stomach. Lana pushed the nun forward even more with her body, her hand reaching under the thin cloth. The blonde gripped the wooden dresser. Lana's fingers brushed over the woman's clit, running through the wet folds. Her free hand moved to unhook the blonde's bra, and the nun quickly removed it. Both were breathing heavy. Lana's free hand gripped Mary Eunice's breast, and the nun let out a seductive laugh. The brunette pushed two finger's inside her, her palm brushing against her clit. Mary Eunice bit her lip and smiled.

The blonde twisted around, despite Lana's grip. She bit down on Lana's lip, lightly pulling her dark hair. The brunette continued pumping her fingers, speeding up. She heard Mary Eunice's breathing pick up, and the blonde let out a moan, breaking their kiss for just a moment. Both kept fierce eye contact, and the nun moved to mirror Lana's movements. She was able to draw circles over the brunette's clit, but quickly lost concentration, her orgasm building. She moved her hand to Lana's hip, gripping tightly. Her other hand gripped the dresser. Lana felt the blonde tighten around her, and watched her eyes slip closed. The blonde felt her knees start to grow weak, the waves of pleasure ripping through her. She hissed into Lana's mouth, and rode out her orgasm. Her knees finally gave and she slumped forward, supporting herself with Lana. She let out a weak laugh. The brunette's breathing started to recover, and she withdrew her hand. They both stood there in silence for a moment, only the sound of their breathing could be heard. Lana placed gentle kisses on the blonde's neck.

Mary Eunice finally recovered, and stood up again. She leaned back against the dresser. Lana turned and walked back to the bed, sitting down on the edge, her eyes were cast low. The blonde followed and sat next to her, turning her head to look at her. Lana spoke first.

"It was awful."

"I don't know, seemed pretty good to me." Mary Eunice laughed, followed by a smirk.

Lana sighed, closing her eyes.

"I know. I know it was." The blonde stroked Lana's cheek. They sat in silence for a bit. "I couldn't have you let him out. Especially not now."

Lana sighed and laid back onto the bed. She stared up at the ceiling. Mary Eunice followed, lying next to her.

"I hate him."

"I know."

Silence.

"I hate you too."

Mary Eunice smiled.


	9. Trauma

**Author's Note: Trigger warning - sexual assault. Stay safe guys. **

The blonde had left Lana alone the next few days. In their few exchanges, there was a sweet softness in the nun. There was warmth in her eyes, and despite the comfort, Lana felt numb. Weak. Tired. The blonde had gently convinced her to stay in the day room, to try and be around other people. She had noticed Lana's reclusiveness.

She entered the day room, small bags forming under her eyes. She avoided the eyes of the other inmates, sitting down on the worn red chair near the front of the room. She could feel eyes on her, much like the day of her failed escape, but it was much less intense. She turned to try and find the source. Many of the inmates were looking at her. Some grumbled to themselves, while others narrowed their eyes at her. Lana sighed, and turned back around. She grabbed a cigarette off of the table and lit it, half-heartedly taking a drag.

"So the slut 'as returned. I bet that Sista' treats you real nice now doesn't she?" The voice was sickening to Lana. Like venom. She slowly blinked, letting out a drawn out sigh. Lana decided to ignore it, and flicked the ash off her cigarette.

"Hey bitch, you look at me when I'm talkin' to you." Spivey walked up behind Lana's chair. "I bet she fucked you good." He grabbed the side of Lana's throat. "Bet I could fuck ya' betta'."

Lana's mind went back to Thredson's basement. Small flashes of what she endured shot through her mind like lightning. She immediately stabbed her burning cigarette into Spivey's hand, and once he recoiled she stood up and shoved him backward. Adrenaline was flooding her veins and she snapped back into reality. She hurriedly walked out of the day room.

"You're gonna' pay for that bitch." Spivey went after her, his burn starting to blister.

Lana was far down the hallway, and she rounded the closest corner. She didn't hear Spivey coming after her, and she sat down, back against the wall. She was shaking, and tried to calm herself down, clinging desperately to her knees.

"Where are ya Lana?" Spivey walked past the hallway Lana was in, and the brunette quickly got to her feet. She started to run down the dark hallway, and Spivey heard her, turning and following her.

"C'mon Lana, I just wanna' show you a good time, that's all."

Lana turned back to look at him, checking how close he was, when she ran out of hallway. It was a dead end. She backed up to the wall, and let out a frightened whimper. She had small flashbacks to the basement again, and she felt a phantom pain in her ankle. She could feel the metal brace digging into her skin. She started to panic.

Spivey inched closer, a wicked grin on his face. His right hand was on his crotch, and Lana gritted her teeth.

"It's about time someone showed ya what a real fuck feels like."

"Get away from me!" She breathed hard.

Spivey moved forward and grabbed Lana, throwing her down. The brunette screamed and tried to crawl past him. He kicked her and she fell over. Lana screamed again. Spivey laughed and got on top of her, Lana clawing at him and trying desperately to get him off of her.

Lana screamed for help as loud as she could, starting to cry. She started to see Thredson, her mind switching between reality and the alternate timeline. She continued to scream in between sobs, and Spivey hit her as hard as he could. He laughed again, and was about to violate her when the light above them exploded, raining down sparks on him. He was instantly thrown from Lana's body, hitting the wall behind them. Lana curled up into a ball, letting out another scream.

Mary Eunice was towering above the disgusting inmate, who was on the floor. Her eyes could pierce your soul, alight with a blinding fury.

"Sista', I-." He let out a scream. Mary Eunice stomped her foot down on his lower leg, and a sickening crack rang through their ears. She grabbed his shirt, picking him up and throwing him into the wall adjacent. She stomped down again, breaking his other leg. Another crack could be heard, followed by another scream. The blonde picked up a piece of broken glass from the light, and stabbed the tip into his throat. It stuck out of his skin, and the blonde stomped down one last time, embedding the glass into his neck, his throat collapsing.

She quickly turned to Lana, her eyes changing back to blue. She pulled the writhing woman into her arms. Lana screamed and sobbed, instinctively trying to escape the touch. Mary Eunice held her tightly, her hand stroking the back of Lana's head. Lana let out tortured sobs into the nape of the blonde's neck. She was shaking uncontrollably, and the nun peppered light kisses on her head.

"It's ok. It's ok." She repeated this mantra over and over. "You're safe now. You're safe. I'd never let anything happen to you."

Lana continued to sob, slowly returning Mary Eunice's embrace, hugging her tightly. Her cries slowly became less violent, calming down to a silent cry. The blonde gently rocked them back and forth, affectionately hushing the reporter. Mary Eunice gently egged the reporter to her feet, and picked her up, Lana's face still buried in her chest. She carried her to their room, laying her carefully down on the mattress. Lana was still shaking, and was curled up on her side. She quickly grabbed a towel and bowl of cold water, dipping the edge lightly into the liquid before dabbing it on Lana's forehead. A bruise was starting to form on her temple.

She removed the towel, gently running her fingers through Lana's hair. The brunette finally spoke.

"What took you so long?" Her voice was broken and hoarse.

"I had to take care of something." Mary Eunice stroked the brunette's cheek. "I'm sorry."

The minute Lana had left the day room, Mary Eunice was already out of control. She had heard the thoughts of the inmates from her office. They were going to let Spivey have his way with her. They all decided she had it coming. She stormed out of her office, a razor blade in hand. They were guilty by association. Spivey had gone after Lana when the nun entered the day room. Within minutes, the room was painted red, a full massacre on her hands. The sight was grizzly. Lifeless bodies were strewn across the floor, some gutted, others mangled and twisted. After she slit the first throat, many inmates rushed the doors. The blonde immediately willed them closed, and slashed at each inmate that ran past her. Kit had managed to strike her with a wooden chair, but it was smashed to pieces on impact. She had the shards fly up and pierce his body, the man stumbling backward as Grace tried to attack her. The blonde dodged and immediately snapped her neck. It only took a few minutes before each one was a body on the floor.

Mary Eunice leaned down and kissed Lana's cheek. The blonde moved to stand, but Lana quickly grabbed her arm.

"Please don't leave."

The blonde had a concerned look on her face, sitting back down. She motioned for Lana to move over, and as the brunette did she lied down next to her, holding her close.

"I won't." She kissed Lana's forehead.

'I can't stay here anymore." The brunette tried to hold back another sob.

"You don't have to." She tightened her embrace. "Were leaving."


	10. New Horizons

Mary Eunice spent the night cradled against Lana. The brunette had finally dosed off around midnight, and occasionally she would twitch in her sleep. Mary Eunice stayed up, whispering sweet nothings into her ear when she started to stir. The impulsiveness inside her kept urging her to leave. To go and secure their files. To erase their existence inside Briarcliff. But she chose to stay. It was a war between two extremes inside her, constantly alternating from one side of the spectrum to the next.

Lana awoke to the sound of locks being clicked shut. Mary Eunice was throwing things into suitcases, clicking the latches into place. She wasn't in her habit, but rather in a white form fitting dress, with chiffon sleeves covered in black lace designs. The blonde grabbed a folded pile of clothes and rushed over to Lana. She tossed the clothes down next to Lana and kicked a pair of heels over to her bed, gently pulling her to a sitting position.

"Get dressed, we have to go." She pulled the edge of Lana's denim dress up, removing it. Lana was still a little groggy, and was slow to move. Mary Eunice sighed and lightly slapped Lana's cheek. The brunette jumped a bit, but was more alert. "We have. To _go_." She tilted her head towards the pile of clothes before turning back to the luggage.

The blonde opened the top dresser drawer and started rummaging through the mass of habits. Lana started dressing. She had a red knee length pencil skirt and a white blouse. She pulled the skirt into place and slipped the silk top over her head when she noticed the glint of green hiding inside the red blazer. She had almost forgotten about her necklace. Mary Eunice had insisted on keeping it in their room after the first few days. She brought the metal up to her neck, unintentionally holding her breath as she shut the clasp. She let out her breath as the cold metal touched her skin. It felt different this time. She slipped on the blazer and found the heels. She was still surprised how everything fit her so perfectly, but she had learned to not bother asking.

Mary Eunice had found her ring, and it glistened on her finger. She finished packing away the various trinkets hidden in her dresser, leaving the habits sporadically tossed around the room. She handed Lana a suitcase, taking one in her own hand. She grabbed two files off of the dresser before moving to the door and turning to face Lana.

"We walk straight past the day room, go down the stairs, and out the door. No stopping, no touching anything."

"Okay." Her nerves were unusually calm.

The blonde pushed open the door and the pair walked out. The blonde's steps were commanding, and her strides were long. Lana hurried behind, the confidence of the blonde affecting her. It was infectious.

They were coming upon the day room now. The asylum was eerily silent. _Oh no._

"No stopping." It was a warning.

Lana could see the red splotches on the glass doors. One of the doors was shattered in a few places. She could see the crimson pool of bodies strewn about the day room.

"Mary -." She was shocked.

"_No stopping_."

Lana hesitated for just a second, when the sound of doors opening echoed through the hallways. She was immediately grabbed by the blonde, who pulled her into the adjacent doorway, towards the spiral staircase. She heard two men conversing, walking down the hallway they were just in. They started making their way down the staircase when she heard both men shout obscenities. They must have made it to the day room. Lana breathed out a small whimper. The blonde pulled her again, moving faster and faster. They reached the front doors, and pushed through. The bright light burned Lana's eyes, but still the blonde kept her moving. There were a pair of police cars parked out front.

Just as they made it down the front steps another cab came down the gravel road. Mary Eunice let Lana in first, taking her suitcase and placing them both in the trunk. She quickly entered the cab, closing the door as the driver took off. They made it a little ways away when the two men burst out the front doors. They tried to enter one of the vehicles but Mary Eunice narrowed her eyes and the doors wouldn't open.

Lana wasn't as worried as she usually was. Her own calmness surprised her. She watched as the blonde checked her nails. Lana moved to see the driver of the cab. Another man, same glazed look. What did she expect? She let out a small sigh, and moved back to her original position.

"Should I ask about the massacre in there or just leave it?" She was more playful than accusing.

The blonde adjusted her ring and crossed her legs. "What do you mean? I thought they were just painting." She smiled. Lana even laughed. When did her humor get so dark? Her hand shot up to toy with her necklace.

"Seriously, what happened in there?"

"Natural selection. They were _all_ weak."

Lana rolled her eyes. "Fine. Don't tell me."

The brunette looked out the window a bit. Mary Eunice lit a cigarette, offering one to Lana. She turned her down. The cab rolled to a stop. Despite how much she wanted to be happy, her heart sank. Wendy's house looked exactly as she had left it. She pushed back the image of her frozen corpse out of her mind. Mary Eunice placed her hand over Lana's and lightly squeezed it.

"Grab anything you want to take with you. This isn't our last stop."

Lana nodded, giving a solemn smile. She couldn't get herself to open the door.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Lana bit the inside of her cheek. She nodded again. Mary Eunice smiled and exited the cab. She walked over and opened Lana's door, closing it behind her as she got out.

They slowly made their way through the house. Lana inched through the all too familiar rooms while Mary Eunice strolled around, touching trinkets and looking through photos. They separated, Lana moving into her old bedroom. She grabbed a few of her old dresses, and a pair of earrings Wendy had given to her for her birthday. They felt so heavy in her hands. She grabbed a few other random items, and walked back out to their living room. She noticed a drop of blood on the carpet on the way. Mary Eunice was on their couch, looking through a photo album.

"Can we go?" Lana paused. "I'm ready."

Mary Eunice smiled at the pictures. "You were cute when you were little."

"Mary. Please."

The blonde huffed and got up. "Fine. Yes, we can go. But I'm taking this."

They exited the house, reentering the cab, piling the items in the backseat.

Mary Eunice resumed looking through the small album, waving her hand, the driver continuing their trip.

"Where to now?" Lana was curious. She started to evaluate her decision making skills. Once again she had gotten into a cab with this woman and not thought to ask where they were even going.

"I made arrangements for a home near Boston." It was a distracted response.

"Arrangements?" Lana laughed. "I assume the realtor will have the same lovely expression as our dear driver then?"

Mary Eunice smirked. "Maybe."

"Lovely." Lana rested her head back and closed her eyes. She smiled. She could finally forget about Briarcliff.

* * *

The second pair of police officers made their way down the dark hallway. After calling backup, they were instructed to investigate the rest of the asylum. Both had their pistols drawn, a flashlight in their other hand, illuminating the cells. Each cell they had inspected so far housed an emaciated body. No signs of life.

"What the hell was goin' on here Frank?" The officer looked through another metal flap. Another body. "It's like a fuckin' psychopath lived here. Disgusting."

Both officers turned to see a backup team come down the hall. They started to open up each cell. The two officers heard a groan. They turned, hurrying to the source. Another groan. Someone was alive in here.

"Hey! Get those things down here! Someone's alive!"

The backup team came down the hall, unlocking the door.

"Holy shit."

An almost skeletal Thredson was propped against the wall. He looked up at the officers before lunging at them. A few gun shots rang out, but they quickly stopped, the screams of the men and the sound of ripping flesh drowning out anything else.

Oliver took the handguns out of the officer's hands, slowly making his way down the hallway.


	11. Press Release

The harbor was beautiful this time of year. The water playfully twisted and turned as its small waves crashed against the earth. It looked alive even under the overcast sky. Lana watched as seagulls flew overhead. Even under her fur coat she shivered. Northern winters were bitter, but the brunette spent as much time outside as possible. She tapped her cigarette on the edge of the railing, taking a quick drag.

The past few months had felt like days. She had finally finished her story on Briarcliff a few weeks after she left the asylum, without much help from her impatient blonde. Unless you count constant nagging as support. She had submitted it to The Boston Globe, and immediately received a response. Lana was thrust into the spotlight, and received a permanent position for the newspaper as a field journalist. Monsignor Howard and Dr. Arden were immediately incarcerated, taking the full weight of the asylum's exposed malpractice, being the only ones connected to the asylum's chain of command. Mary Eunice had managed to erase all known documentation of her time at Briarcliff, and had removed most of Lana's, but left a bit to validate her claims.

Lana smiled at her recollection. She took in a deep breath of the freezing air. She always came to the harbor after work, she felt like the water grounded her in a way. It was all encompassing. Full of vigor. She decided it was getting a bit late. Mary Eunice would be expecting her back soon. She put out her cigarette and made her way down the busy streets, weaving in between her fellow pedestrians, melding with the crowd. She stopped to pick up some food, a few salads and some wings. She may be high class now, but Lana had no qualms about getting her hands dirty. In more ways than one. She continued walking back to their apartment. They lived in the middle of the city, and Lana had gotten a front row seat to Mary Eunice's manipulative tactics. She had watched as the blonde negotiated their rent and she used the term negotiated lightly. It was more of the former nun telling the landlord exactly how much they would pay, and the landlord dazedly nodding their head in agreement, all while signing a lease.

It was no wonder the blonde immediately fell into politics. With her connection to the church severed, Mary Eunice happily bounced into the Democratic Party. She greatly preferred it, especially now that the entire Catholic Church was under fire with the incarceration of Timothy Howard. Even though the blonde's true political opinions were anything but partisan, she thrived in the reigning party. Lana took every opportunity to avoid asking her how her time at work was.

The brunette finally reached their apartment, unlocking the door and walking inside. She tossed her keys on the entry way table, and started bringing the food into their kitchen. The house was beautiful. The hardwood paneling accent wall was breathtaking with the white walls surrounding it. Mary Eunice had found an apartment with high ceilings, the exposed beams making everything even more beautiful. But of course, the room's furnishings were filled with color. This was the 60's after all. Bright orange couches and chairs were seated in front of the fireplace, a shag rug beneath them. The fire was already going. The rest of the house was expertly decorated, and everything was the most expensive and advanced version available. Once again, Lana refused to question the blonde's means. The reporter carried the bag of food into the kitchen, where the blonde was talking on the phone. Lana ducked under the cord, plopping the bag down on the counter. She looked over at the blonde, who was arguing into the phone. They locked eyes and the blonde smiled at her and gave a small wave, all while insulting the other end of the call. It was their new version of hello.

Lana took out each item, setting it up on two plates for them. Lana took them and walked to their dining room, passing by Mary Eunice on the way, planting a quick peck on her cheek. Lana sat and listened as the blonde continued to argue.

"You make sure it _never_ surfaces. I don't care what it takes just _do it_."

The blonde hung up the phone, it smacking down hard on the receiver. She let out an aggravated sigh and walked into the dining room, joining Lana. She sat down opposite the brunette, setting her elbows on the table and locking her fingers together, resting her chin on her hands. She smiled.

"So how was your day?" There was annoyance in her voice, but Lana assumed it wasn't directed at her.

"Fine. Great actually." She paused a moment. "I'm guessing you won't say the same about your day." She took a bite of her salad. The blonde rolled her eyes and mirrored Lana's movements, taking a bite as well.

_I'm going to regret this. _

"So what was that about? Should I be voting Republican?"

"They're about to air footage of a meeting I was in today on the news." She took another bite.

"So?" Lana raised her eyebrow.

"So, if they do that, then the public will know I am still in the state."

Both ate in silence for a moment.

Lana repeated herself. "So? What does that matter?"

Mary Eunice sighed. She stood up and walked to one of the shelves. It was full of random things they had left there over the past few months. The blonde pulled out a newspaper from one of the slots. She handed it to Lana. Lana raised her eyebrow again as the blonde returned to her seat. She unfolded the paper.

_Maniac from Briarcliff: Four Officers Dead. Suspect Still At Large_

Her mouth hung open a bit as she scanned the article.

_Four officers were found dead in the halls of Briarcliff Sanitarium this Thursday by a second pair of officers. The policemen were sent to investigate an anonymous tip when they discovered a massacre inside. The four deceased were found in the halls designated for those appointed to solitary confinement. Investigations have concluded that an escaped inmate is to blame for this tragedy, as the officers were brutally murdered. They also have stated that two officers were missing their weapons. _

Lana slammed the paper down, her mouth wide open.

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

Lana looked for the date. The publish date was back in August. It was November.

"For fuck's sake Mary! He's out there and you know it! He could show up any minute!"

"Well he _hasn't_, and there's a reason for that."

"Oh really? Well please _enlighten_ me."

The blonde's eyes narrowed.

"It's _my_ name on the lease, and he doesn't know my new surname. You are a _field_ reporter. You could be anywhere on Earth, and without a way to find you in the phonebook, he would _never_ find the house."

Lana had almost forgotten Mary Eunice shedding the McKee name. She had preferred McKee over McVey, but it wasn't her decision. Lana pursed her lips and crossed her arms.

"But now that might change, unless those imbeciles stop the network from running the tape."

Lana groaned, pushing herself up and away from the table. She walked over to the blonde and motioned for her to get up.

"I guess we should watch the news then."

Both women left the dining room and entered the living room. Mary Eunice sat down on the couch and Lana grabbed the remote, sitting down beside her. She turned on the television, flipping through the channels until reaching the news station. The both sat silently, waiting as the weather forecast ended. It was going to snow soon. The anchors appeared on screen. Most of the news was regarding the Civil Rights Act, featuring much applause, and Lana smiled. Her smile quickly turned as the anchors started discussing the upcoming election of state officials. They started discussing the Republican candidates, and showed a small montage of clips from various press releases and public appearances. Lana's foot started bouncing up and down as they moved on to the Democratic side. She tuned out their commentary, the montage starting. Each clip featured a different member. It switched to footage of a board meeting, and focused on three different people present. The last one being Mary Eunice. Each person had their name displayed. Lana buried her face in her hands. Mary Eunice got up and stormed into the kitchen. Lana could hear her dialing the phone. The blonde started shouting.

Lana leaned back into the couch, face still in her hands.

_Just once can I catch a break?_


	12. Inclement Weather

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! Had a horrible night last night, was like a walking zombie all day. I should be back to publishing them at their normal rate on Monday. :)**

For the first time since they met, Lana woke up first. She stared up at the popcorn ceiling, trying to count each dot. She hadn't slept very well that night, waking up at the slightest sound. She had silently damned Mother Nature to hell the fourth time she woke, hearing a breeze outside. There was a loud crack, and a thump against the window. Lana jumped.

_Thredson. He's here_.

She was about to wake Mary Eunice when the sound repeated itself, but then a series of similar volleys rained down on the building. She got up and opened the curtains. It was snowing. Hailing. She placed her hand on the cold glass, smiling a bit, just taking the time to enjoy the elements that she was deprived of in the god forsaken asylum. She sat and watched the white blanket start to form on the street outside. The coolness of the wind outside radiated off the glass, chilling Lana's skin even through her silk nightgown. She looked around a bit at the snow but noticed movement in the reflection of the glass. She quickly turned her head to look, but exhaled a sigh of relief.

Mary Eunice had gotten up and out of bed, and had walked over to see what Lana was looking at. Lana held in a snicker at the sight of the disheveled blonde. Her hair was a wreck. The golden locks fell haphazardly around her face, and tangled waves made her hair stick out in all directions. Her eyes were a bit dreary as well, her eyelids drooping a bit. Lana was even amused at the woman's night wear. She had gotten used to seeing her either dressed in decadent, luxurious, designer outfits, or naked. She was wearing an oversized white button down shirt with her panties, and one of the buttons was fastened in the wrong place.

Lana had drank away her anxiety at the news release, and had had Mary Eunice join her. She remembered watching the blonde swirl her cocktail in her hand as the brunette took a sip of vodka out of the bottle. She didn't remember much else, but her thighs burned as she walked to the window, and her jaw was tight. By the sight of Mary Eunice, it wasn't too hard to connect the dots. She silently applauded herself for her good work. Getting the blonde drunk was a challenge in itself.

The blonde yawned, stretching her arms, followed by a groan. She saw Lana smirking and pursed her lips.

"Oh please."

"Have you ever even had a hangover before?" Lana laughed. Mary Eunice rolled her eyes.

She moved in next to Lana, scooting her over with her hips, joining her at the window. They both watched as the mixture of snow flakes and hail rained down. Lana had been distracted for a moment. The thought of the sick monster that is Oliver Thredson had finally been replaced by pleasant thoughts in her head, but all good things must come to an end. An involuntary shiver ran down her spine, and she bit the inside of her cheek. Her grumpy blonde's cold demeanor changed into an inviting warmth, and the soft touch of her hand made Lana feel safe as Mary Eunice placed her hand over the brunette's.

"What are we going to do?" Lana tried her best to not sound defeated.

"Nothing." It was a simple reply, and the warmth was once again replaced by ice. The brunette turned to face the woman.

"What do you mean 'nothing'?" She was reasonably confused.

"He will come to us. He can't help it. And we couldn't leave even if we wanted to." She motioned towards the inclement weather.

"Were going to _wait_ for him?" Her anger started to mix in with her fear. Lana wanted him dead. Gone. "Why didn't you just kill him back at Briarcliff? You killed everyone else!" She crossed her arms. "But no, you went and brought him back instead."

Mary Eunice had tried to kill him, hoping his lack of faith would weaken the seal on his arm. She had tried to cut off the tattoo, severing the connection, but was thrown back every time. She had to get rid of it to finalize his death. After a few hours' worth of attempts, she lashed out and left gashes on his chest instead. She had planned to just seal off the entire cell block, but her moment of recklessness had made that impossible.

"If I _could_ have killed him, he would be dead." Mary Eunice laughed. "Brought him back? I think you have me confused with someone else."

"Then how is he still alive? I _shot_ him. I _killed_ him."

Mary Eunice breathed out a small laugh, and took Lana by the arm and sat her down on the bed, sitting next to her.

"Honey, I think it's time we had the talk."

Lana was not amused.

"Now I know you're a smart girl, you _obviously_ know I'm not like you." Every word was dripping with condescension. Lana narrowed her eyes.

"Save me the lecture. Ten words or less."

"I'm the Devil, Thredson made a holy pact for protection."

Lana laid back on the bed. She knew Mary Eunice was something sinister, but putting a title on it wasn't something she particularly wanted to do. Now she knew why.

"I'm in the middle of a holy war, and I'm siding with the _Devil_." Mary Eunice smirked at Lana. "I have to be honest, I never saw that coming."

"Yeah, but it'll be fun." The blonde grinned.

Lana glared at her.

"You were going to Hell anyways you might as well do something to earn it."

"Wow, you _sure_ know how to cheer a girl up."

"Stop whining." The blonde leaned down and kissed the brooding woman. Mary Eunice stood up.

"You know everyone thinks you're a guy, right?" Lana smirked.

Mary Eunice sneered. "You know everyone thinks you're a pervert, right?"

"Touché."

Lana sat up and huffed. Maybe all of this was an elaborate hallucination. Maybe she was still at Briarcliff, and maybe she actually needed to be there. All of this... her apparently demonic sadistic girlfriend/ex-captor, the serial killer psychiatrist turned holy warrior, it made her doubt her sanity. She hoped it was a dream. But regardless, she got up. It didn't matter if it was a dream or reality. It felt real enough.

"So how do we win?" Lana felt her sanity leave her again, but her apathy was growing stronger.

"We don't."

"We don't?"

"Have you even read the Bible?"

Lana rolled her eyes. "Spare me."

Mary Eunice huffed. "I'm going to lure Thredson here, and hopefully subdue him long enough for you to…"

"For me to what?" Lana groaned internally. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to be pleasant.

"You're going to cut off his arm." She grinned again.

"You're joking right?" Lana studied her face, Mary Eunice's smile not faltering. "You're serious."

She nodded. Lana groaned. "I don't think I can do it."

Mary Eunice sat down again and wrapped her arms around Lana, whispering in her ear.

"You can, and you will. Or you will die. Simple as that."

She kissed Lana's cheek.

"Your choice."


	13. Crimson Baptism

**Author's Note: :)**

The entire state of Massachusetts was hit by a devastating snow storm, and it was like time stopped. Normally the entire state barely flinched at the icy weather, but it hit with a severity that would have made any Northerner shudder. The roads were almost unusable, and the normally busy streets stayed empty.

Lana and Mary Eunice had gone out the morning before the storm had fully hit, stocking up on food and other supplies. They had been snowed in for three days now, and Lana was both paranoid and stir crazy. She had suffered through Mary Eunice's lessons on how to swiftly amputate a limb, becoming much too acquainted with their butcher knife in the kitchen. The brunette had been stuck in a moral dilemma for the past few hours. She was lying down on their couch, drowning in her thoughts.

_Good and evil. Am I evil? What is evil? Surely a God that condemns people for who they love couldn't be 'good'. Could He? Am I evil for being attracted to a murderous blonde who happens to be the Devil? I haven't done anything wrong. I haven't killed. Or tortured. Thredson has done both. I've just been along for the ride. Could I be guilty by association? Do I even care? What is evil?_

Her thoughts came full circle and started the cycle over again, just continuing with different wording. She had never been very religious, the whole idea of a predetermined existence left a sour taste in her mouth, especially when that predetermination led to condemnation. But she had seen gruesome things. Amazing things. She had no doubt in her mind that the blonde was indeed who she said she was. Every inch of her was otherworldly, and if there was one side of the struggle in existence, then there must be the other as well.

She brought one of the couch pillows to her face, smothering her own groan in the woven fabric.

Mary Eunice watched her from the kitchen counter. She leaned on her elbows, her hair dangling over her shoulder in a tight braid. She hadn't bothered to get dressed today, staying only in her red slip and panties. She held a smoking cigarette in her fingers, and she listened to Lana. A different voice pulled the blonde out of the brunette's mind. Mary Eunice ignored the figure that appeared beside her, her gaze still fixed on the reporter.

"You know this will never work, Cousin."

The blonde gave the angel no response, and her cigarette slowly turned to ashes, the red glow creeping towards her fingers.

"You have to leave this girl. She still has a chance. You will destroy her."

Mary Eunice flashed a smile.

"You're a repugnant creature. I hope she realizes that."

The angel was gone, and the cigarette was reduced to ashes. The blonde left the remains on the counter, walking emotionless to the woman on the couch, her face still covered by the pillow. Mary Eunice climbed on top of her, swatting the pillow aside. It landed with a thump on the floor. Lana opened her mouth to speak, but the blonde was quick, silencing her with a bruising kiss.

_She still has a chance. _

Lana whimpered a bit, but immediately reciprocated. Mary Eunice trailed down Lana's jaw, leaving marks down her neck as well. The brunette's hands landed on the blonde's hips, her finger's starting to creep up the woman's slip. Their lips connected again, fiercer this time. She bit down hard on her lip, and both women separated, each undressing themselves as quick as possible. Both removed their own tops, and the blonde pulled at Lana's shorts and panties, while the brunette pulled at her own panties. Within seconds they were both rid of all clothes, the skin on skin contact only fueling the heat between them.

Mary Eunice was already caressing Lana's breast, sucking and biting the other, drawing circles with her tongue. Lana moaned and moved her leg in between the blonde's, her hips bucking at the contact. Mary Eunice continued down the brunette's torso, biting at her ribs. She moved back up to kiss her again, both women breathing hard.

Mary Eunice's fingers entered the reporter easily, and she toyed with her clit while pumping into her. Lana moaned into her mouth, and her hands moved to the blonde's breasts, pinching and caressing. Both women knew each other's bodies, and both moved like clockwork. Lana's hands started to trail down the blonde's stomach, but she was pushed back. The moment her back hit the couch, Mary Eunice curled her fingers, sending a shock through her body. Just a little more and she would go over the edge. Lana's eyes had slipped closed, and she grinned. She opened her eyes again, and the blonde stared back at her. She felt her body tighten.

"_Do you love me_?"

A wave hit Lana, and her eyes widened at the question. It was hard for her to concentrate. The blonde's fingers curled again, and another shock hit her.

"I-."

Lana was about to come, but their apartment door burst open. She screamed, her body instantly going cold, and she fell off the couch. The blonde leapt off of the woman, and a bullet whizzed by her ear, hitting the wall behind her. Thredson was back to a healthy state, but his eyes were pure black. Endless.

Lana sprinted away from the living room. She fumbled in the kitchen, and her mind panicked. She had forgotten where the knife was. She heard a hiss come from the living room, followed by slam.

Mary Eunice had sprinted to him and lifted him up by the shirt, slamming him into the wall. He jerked his chin up, and the blonde flew back. She hissed at him, speaking in tongues, and three gashes split open his cheek. He fired again, the bullet grazing the blonde's leg. Mary Eunice spoke again, and Oliver tried to fire, but the trigger wouldn't move. He tossed it aside, charging her. He gripped her throat and picked her up, slamming her to the ground. She immediately recovered, kicking as hard as she could into the doctor's stomach. He recoiled, stumbling backwards. The blonde stood and rammed him, both slamming into the dining room wall. Lana watched, paralyzed by fear, from the kitchen. She found the knife, but couldn't move. Mary Eunice ripped his sleeve off, exposing the tattoo. She tried to claw at it, but the doctor landed a sucker punch on her cheek, and she fell to the floor. He tried to kick her, but he was too slow, and she jumped up, clawing four deep cuts into his abdomen.

She pushed him into the wall next to where Lana was cowering. Both Mary Eunice and Thredson narrowed their eyes, both fighting the invisible force trying to immobilize them. Mary Eunice started to feel a weight in her legs, and she fought to stay upright, while the doctor tried to unpin himself from the wall. Both started to grow weaker, and they both stopped their supernatural strategies, each moving towards the other. Oliver had taken a knife out of his pocket, slashing across Mary Eunice's bare stomach. Red started to drip from the wound but the blonde wasn't deterred. She slammed his head into the wall, leaving an indent. He stumbled into the archway, and was about to send the blonde back when a crippling pain shot through him.

Lana had finally gotten up, striking the man's arm. Blood rushed out of the wound, spraying onto Lana as she furiously repeated the movements. She couldn't hear it, but she was screaming. She watched as his flesh separated into thin slices as her cuts got erratic. She heard the bone snap, and his arm was on the floor. She continued to scream, adrenaline taking over. She couldn't hear anything, and her mind kept switching to the alternate reality she had seen at Briarcliff. She had gone deaf to the world around her, and rage and fear consumed her. She continued to swing the knife into him, cutting open his chest and stomach. He fell to the floor, and Lana stabbed the knife into his back.

She continued to breathe heavily, and slowly recovered her senses. Her bare skin was stained red, tiny flecks of blood coating her in unholy patterns. All of her body became heavy, and she felt a pain in her chest. She fell to her knees, a puddle already formed around Oliver's now corpse. She looked at the blonde, her chest still heaving.

"Yes." She breathed it out, her throat seeming to close up.

"I love you." She choked on the words. She groaned, her breathing not slowing.

Mary Eunice grinned. There was a spark of gold in Lana's eyes.

Lana continued to breathe as the blonde came over and kissed her cheek, wrapping her arms around her. The brunette watched the corpse. The puddle continued to grow around them.

_What is evil_?


	14. Omens

**Author's Note: Porcelain - Moby sets the mood for this chapter. Enjoy!**

Lana sat silent. She stared down at her hands, the dark red blood coating her skin. The single light in the dining room made her body glow, the liquid illuminated. Time seemed to slow down. Maybe it even stopped. Lana wasn't sure. She slowly looked up from her hands, her mouth slightly open, breathing was erratic. She looked into the archway leading to the living room. She saw herself, brown eyes staring back at her. She was dressed in orange, the same outfit she wore the night she decided to pursue Briarcliff. The night she was with Wendy. Lana watched as her former self looked down at Oliver, shutting her eyes, seemingly unable to bear the sight. The present Lana looked down at herself, dark red encompassing her entire torso, leaving red streaks all down her legs. She looked up again, not sure what to do. Her former self walked over, slowly. She stepped over Oliver, and knelt down a bit, gently grabbing Lana's chin. Lana felt the figure's thumb stroke her cheek. She tried to speak, but was unsure what to say. Her former self was so innocent. Ambitious. Hopeful. Now what was she? The image of herself spoke, her voice was soft, seemingly understanding.

_"__Don't forget about me_."

Lana raised her eyebrow, moving to speak, but it was too late. She watched, frozen, as her former self started to crumble. Her skin started to flake away, and Lana stared into brown eyes as the woman slowly turned to ashes. She caught a glimpse of a solemn smile before she faded away, the dust disappearing.

Her mouth closed, and she clenched her jaw. Her eyes turned cold, and her expression was blank. Time resumed, and she felt the touch of the blonde on her shoulders. Her eyes went to Oliver. Suddenly the weight of the blood on her hands became evident. A shock ran through her spine, but she felt different. She no longer felt afraid. She was calm. Relaxed even.

She turned her head to face the blonde, her expression still blank. Mary Eunice was smirking a bit, her eyes intense. Her golden eyes focused on Lana's, and small flakes of yellow started to appear in her brown eyes. They started like embers, slowly growing into small flames. Lana looked away, the golden flakes returning to the dark. Mary Eunice grinned, and released the woman from her grasp.

She walked to the kitchen, leaving bloody footprints on the white tile. She had a slight limp from the burn on her leg. Her stomach wound had clotted, and had already started to scab in some places. She opened a cabinet door, taking down a first aid kit. She wrapped the wound in some cloth bandages, and applied some burn ointment to her leg.

Lana finally got up. She walked into the living room, her footsteps leaving red prints on the hardwood and carpet. She saw the bullet lodged in the wall, and walked over. She carefully pulled it from the wall, and toyed with it in her hand. She held it up in between her thumb and index finger, bringing it up to her face. She tilted her head to look at it for a moment. She felt the blonde's eyes on her but she didn't care.

Without a word she moved into their room, walking into the bathroom and straight into the shower. She watched as the water turned red, flowing down the drain. She was in there for what seemed like hours, staring down at the drain. The water had started to burn her skin, and steam filled the entire room. Lana stepped out, her skin free of Oliver. She dried off, and when she passed by the bedroom door, the entire pool of blood was gone. Mary Eunice stepped into the archway, leaning her shoulder on the wall. They shared eye contact for a moment, but Lana turned away.

* * *

~There was a room. Or it seemed like a room. There was an endless light, a blinding light, coming from all directions. Lana walked through it, dazed. The blonde appeared in front of her, motioning her to follow. Mary Eunice turned, laughing as she disappeared into the light. The laughs became distorted, and they echoed. Lana ran after her, and the light turned into their dining room. Lana froze, blood started to ooze through the hardwood floors, and she instantly backed away. The room started to flood, and she turned around. She screamed, seeing a crucified Oliver in front of her, his body mutilated. She fell backward, hitting the hardwood. Everything went dark, and suddenly she saw the light again. She violently sat up, gasping for air, a pool of blood thrashing around her. The liquid ran down in droplets on her face. She tried to tread in the pool, starting to fall back down, starting to drown. Mary Eunice appeared on the edge of the tank Lana was in, just out of reach. Lana tried to grab at the blonde, extending her hand. She pleaded for help, but she laughed. The laughs echoed again, becoming more distorted each time. Lana sank down, darkness consuming her.~

Lana gasped for air, sitting up in her bed. Her eyes were wide, and her chest heaved. She caught her breath, and turned to look at the woman beside her. It had been a week since Oliver was killed. Mary Eunice lazily rolled over, facing Lana. Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled. She reached out a hand, gently placing her fingers over the brunette's.

"What happened?" Her voice was tired, not fully awake.

Lana looked away, rubbing her forehead. She laid back down. "Nothing. Just a bad dream."

Mary Eunice narrowed her eyes slightly, but relaxed them a moment afterwards.

"Come here." It wasn't sympathetic, more commanding.

Lana turned on her side moving back a bit, and the blonde cradled in next to her. Mary Eunice wrapped her arms around the brunette, and placed a kiss on the back of her neck.

Lana uneasily closed her eyes, and attempted to go back to sleep. Numb. She felt numb.

* * *

Already she was back at work. She had been writing an article on Vietnam and Lyndon B. Johnson's policies. She had spent the day on her typewriter, occasionally talking with coworkers. This was everything she had ever wanted to do with her life, but now the spark was gone. It didn't matter if she won her Pulitzer, it didn't matter if she got her promotion. She had an itching to do _something_, but she didn't know what.

She was on her way home, much later than usual. She stayed late to help edit a few articles, and by now the streets were dark. The streetlamps illuminated the sidewalks, and Lana casually walked down the road. She passed by a few random strangers on the way, but for the most part the streets were empty. She turned down a corner, and she felt a presence appear behind her. The shadow had walked out of an alley, and was stalking her from behind. She had learned her lesson with Spivey, and she twirled her small switchblade in her hand. She listened to his steps, and they slowly got faster until the figure was behind her. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey baby." It was a wicked sound.

Something snapped, Lana whirled around and her eyes were wild. She instantly stabbed the figure in the stomach, and the man recoiled. He held his left hand up, his right clutching the wound.

"Hey! Stop! Stop!"

Lana got a rush of adrenaline, and her hands trembled a bit. She moved forward, stabbing the figure again. He let out grunts and small screams. She continued her movements, the man falling to the ground. She repeatedly slammed the blade down into his back, and a small fleck of blood hit her cheek. She instantly stopped. The man didn't move, and Lana quickly got up. She started to laugh, the numbness subsiding. She wiped the blade clean on the man's jacket, and pocketed it, turning and walking away. She grinned all the way to her apartment.

Lana unlocked the door, once again tossing her keys on the entry way table. She paused to look in the mirror mounted above the table. She noticed the small droplet on her cheek, and wiped it away. She continued into the living room. Mary Eunice was sitting on the couch reading a magazine. Her eyes moved to look at Lana. She smirked and set the magazine down on the coffee table.

"Hello-."

"I understand now." Lana cut her off.

The blonde raised her eyebrow.

Lana walked a bit further.

"It's the rush. The _feeling._ Isn't it?"

The blonde gave her a dark smile. Lana smiled a bit, but then gave the woman a look of horror.

"What did you do to me?"

Mary Eunice stood and walked over to Lana. She pulled her into a tender embrace, pressing their foreheads together. She gently kissed the brunette.

"I made you complete."


	15. Potential

On the way back to work Lana crossed by the police line that blocked off a portion of the sidewalk. She shuffled through the crowd, catching a glimpse of the stain on the cement. She couldn't control the smile that appeared on her lips, and she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, hurrying away from the scene. The policemen were surveying the area, and a group of EMTs lifted a black body bag into the ambulance. The hairs on the back of Lana's neck stood up. It wasn't fear. She was anything but afraid.

Lana's boss was a scruffy old man by the name of James Maxwell. He was in his fifties, and his receding hairline did nothing to help soften his strict and demanding demeanor. Everyone working at the newspaper heard many a tale about his multiple affairs, and his office was always cloudy with smoke from his cigar.

Lana cautiously knocked on his office door, and after hearing an annoyed grunt, she opened it and stepped inside. The man motioned for her to sit down, puffing on his cigar. His desk was cluttered, and a photo frame was face down on the hardwood. Lana assumed it was a picture of his wife.

"You wanted to see me sir?" Lana adjusted her skirt as she sat, and placed her hands on her lap.

"Yes Ms. Winters." His voice was scratchy. "Scrap your LBJ article, and clear any plans for tomorrow evening."

"I-. Sure. May I ask why?" Lana chewed on the inside of her lip. She kept trying to push the image of the body bag out of her mind.

The man took the cigar out of his mouth and flipped through a few papers.

"Listen, Ms. Winters. I know how you working women are. Always trying to take a _man's_ job. To do _men's_ work. Well from now on, you're going to serve your _real _purpose."

Lana's jaw clenched, and her hands gripped the hem of her shirt, her knuckles turning white.

"Tomorrow the Democrats are having their annual state convention, and we're going to go. You're going to dress nice, and flirt, and make me look good while I find out their plans for their state nominations. Understand?"

He didn't lift his eyes from the papers, and he puffed on his cigar. Lana dug her nails into her thigh to stop herself from screaming at him.

"Yes sir." She paused. "May I go?"

"Yeah, yeah." He motioned her to the door.

Lana stood and smoothed her skirt, walking out of the office. The second the door closed behind her the rush started. She looked around at everyone in the room. She searched for anyone, anyone who could accompany her to the wrong place at the wrong time. She shook her head, taking in a deep breath. She exhaled slowly and hurried over to her cubicle. She grabbed her coat off of her chair. She needed to go home.

* * *

Mary Eunice cooked dinner that night. Lana was sure the blonde was taunting her when she realized what she had made. Beef Wellington. It was cooked to perfection, and Lana flinched a bit when she cut into it, the red juices flowing out of the meal. She noticed Mary Eunice smirk from across the table. The brunette sighed and took a bite. She considered going vegetarian.

"Tomorrow will be exciting." The blonde smiled at her.

Lana looked up from her meal and pursed her lips. She silently gave her a half-hearted nod, and tried to smile.

"Lana, I'm going to give you some advice." She rested her elbows on the table.

The brunette groaned and rolled her eyes. She lightly tossed her silverware down and leaned back in her chair. "Yes _please_ almighty anti-Christ, bestow upon me your endless wisdom."

Mary Eunice let out an amused hum mixed with a small laugh. "Someone's feeling a bit high and mighty now aren't they?" She tilted her head a bit. "Strange coming from someone still riding high off of their first kill." She clicked her tongue.

Lana shut her eyes and bunched her hands into fists at her side. She reopened them, gritting her teeth. She didn't respond to the blonde, just looked back at her.

"Now I'm going to disregard your little comment. Anyways, you need to stop pouting over Mr. Maxwell's blatant objectification, and use it to your advantage."

Lana raised an eyebrow.

"You go to the convention, you flirt, you mingle, and you manipulate my colleagues into telling you their dirty little secrets. No matter how powerful your sorry excuse for a boss is, the power of sex will always be stronger." She brushed her bangs out of her face. "I'll pick out a dress for you to wear. I know what they like."

"Are you pimping me out?"

She laughed. "Oh no. If any of them so much as touch you I'll rip their throat out." She said it with a bit of giddiness. "I'm simply helping you reach your full potential."

Lana sighed and rubbed her forehead. She stood and walked out of the dining room.

"Goodnight."

* * *

The next morning Lana was awoken by the blonde, who was already dressed. Her golden hair was up, pulled into an intricate bun. She wore a black dress and had a small golden necklace and earrings. Lana sighed, she wanted to be mad at the blonde, but her attraction won her over. She let Mary Eunice pull her up and pick out her wardrobe for the day, tossing her around this way and that.

The blonde had dressed her in emerald green. Lana assumed it was the color Mary Eunice liked best. She insisted that Lana wear her Winston necklace, and the brunette felt uneasy at how commanding she was in regards to it. She had stopped wearing it for a while since they left Briarcliff. She always felt darker with it on, and now that she was experiencing these deadly urges, she was sincerely frightened by it. She didn't know if Mary Eunice knew of her fears, but if she did, she didn't care. The blonde fastened the necklace around Lana's neck.

Lana had a glass of wine while she rode in the limo with Mr. Maxwell. She joked to herself that she didn't need to smoke, that the secondhand she was getting from his cigar was enough. Her and Mary Eunice had parted ways earlier in the day, and planned to meet back at the convention. The car pulled up and her boss got out, walking around to open Lana's door. This was his only act of chivalry. He had already tried to run his hand up Lana's thigh in the car, but she instantly slapped him away.

They entered the crowd of aristocrats, walking through grand front doors into an elegant parlor. The convention was being held at the Ventfort Hall Mansion this year, and Lana was taken aback by its beauty. She suffered through a few degrading introductions with Mr. Maxwell, but managed to finally slip away.

She took a glass of champagne from a server, and sipped on it as she walked through the crowds. She was supposed to meet Mary Eunice near the center of the building on the second floor. She finally made it, approaching the blonde. She was already talking with a different man, and they shared a laugh before she acknowledged Lana's presence. She excused herself and turned to smile at the brunette.

"Having fun?" The blonde took a sip of her own champagne.

"No. Not really." Lana downed the drink, placing the empty glass on a passing server's tray. She looked over at her boss. He was across the room talking with another group of people. "Isn't it a bit strange that he can just bring any woman with him to a party, and everyone just disregards his marriage?"

Mary Eunice turned to look, and turned back to Lana. "What? You don't like being his temporary trophy?"

Lana pretended to gag. They both shared a laugh, but were interrupted as the man in question appeared behind the blonde.

"Speak of the devil." Lana muttered under her breath. Mary Eunice shot her a glance before turning to the man.

"Why hello Ms. McVey. I must say, you look lovely." His eyes blatantly trailed down the blonde's body.

"Thank you Mr. Maxwell. Can I help you with something?" She crossed her arms, still holding the glass of champagne.

The man adjusted his jacket, unbuttoning it before placing his hand in his pocket. "Oh no, just admiring the view." He reached and pinched her hip. The blonde let out a sultry laugh, the man smirking as he whispered something into her ear.

Lana could feel her blood boiling. She watched them, just a foot away from the blonde. She watched as Mary Eunice whispered something back into the man's ear. At first she was thinking about yelling at both of them, but stopped herself when she noticed the look in his eyes. She watched as his normal demeanor changed, and his eyes became distant. The blonde stepped back from the man, and smiled as he straightened his back and walked away without another word. Mary Eunice turned back to Lana, and rolled her eyes.

"Come on, we should get a good view of the show." She winked and pulled Lana by the arm. Lana didn't know there was an event planned.

The blonde took her to a table near a great bay window. It overlooked the gardens. Lana smiled at the colors of the flowers.

"What did you do to him?" Lana turned to look at the blonde.

"You'll see." She smiled and took another sip.

Lana straightened her back. She heard a noise on the floor above them, and stared open mouthed at the blonde. It was then that they heard a long scream, and a figure fell past the window. Lana closed her eyes as she heard the thump of the body hitting the concrete patio below them. She moved to the window and looked down at her former boss. He had a crimson halo painted on the ground, his leg twisted at an unobtainable angle. The brunette held in a laugh, but smiled down at the body. She turned to the blonde, still smiling at the rest of the attendees rushed to the scene, either crying or yelling, many rushing to the phone.

"What did he say to you?" She laughed a bit.

"Said he would ride me like a stallion. He said you could vouch for him, apparently he took you in the car on the way here." The blonde smirked. "I know it isn't true, but let's just say I didn't appreciate the gesture."

Lana looked back down at the corpse and the surrounding crowd.

"I want you to teach me."

"Teach you? What exactly are you trying to learn?" The blonde smiled.

"Anything. Everything. Show me how." The golden specks appeared again in Lana's eyes.

"Hmmm. I don-."

"I'll do anything. I'm fucking tired of holding myself back. I'm tired of it. _Of all of it_."

"_Anything_?" Mary Eunice grinned. "In that case, there might be _something_ I can do."

Lana grinned back, and they both turned to the window, looking down at Mr. Maxwell. Mary Eunice grabbed Lana's hand, and they interlocked their fingers. While Lana focused on the corpse, Mary Eunice looked out into the gardens. A figure dressed in black stood amidst the flowers, and the blonde locked eyes with them. The angel stayed in place for a bit, and Mary Eunice smiled as Shachath faded away.


	16. Sunspots

**Author's Note: Late, I know. Whoops. But anyways, I HIGHLY recommend listening to Sunspots by Nine Inch Nails for the end part of this chapter. Just trust me. ****Its the perfect Bananun song****okay**

Mary Eunice had been very firm about having Lana wait and think about her decision. It had been days since the convention, and even though Lana tried to convince the blonde, she insisted to wait just a little bit more. Lana knew she was toying with her.

The blonde was sitting in one of the reclining chairs in the living room, reading another novel. It seemed that every time Lana noticed her reading, it was a completely different book from the last time. Lana had waited patiently all day, and the blonde's lack of action was getting on her last nerve. It was finally the weekend, and Lana had had to sit through a million degrading meetings at work concerning her late employer. She was growing even more tired of her powerlessness. Her darker desires were growing with every day they went unsatisfied. Her ambition was reaching a fever pitch as well, and by now even just looking at Mary Eunice sparked an insatiable envy.

Lana walked farther into the living room, leaning on the wall near the archway. She stared at the blonde for a few moments, trying to silently plead with her.

"Just a little bit longer Lana."

"Yesterday it was a little bit longer." Lana walked a bit closer, arms crossed.

"I know. And it still is." Another page turned.

"Bullshit." Lana grabbed a pillow off the couch and threw it at the blonde. It hit her book.

"You're acting like a child."

"You're treating me like one! I can't deal with this anymore! God I want to just _bash_ your _face_ in."

Mary Eunice tossed her book down, rising from the chair.

"Go ahead."

"No, I didn't-." Lana sighed.

"Oh _come on_ Lana. Fight back." The blonde confronted her and shoved her backward. Lana stumbled a bit. Mary Eunice kept moving forward. She shoved her again, harsher this time.

"Defend yourself!"

Lana's back ran into their couch, and her anger started bubbling over. She tried desperately to keep calm, and she tried to take in a few deep breaths. She inhaled once before she felt a familiar burning sensation on her cheek. Mary Eunice backhanded her and shoved her again, this time to the floor.

"FIGHT BACK."

Lana screamed at her, it was a furious sound. All caution was thrown to the wind, and Lana rammed into the blonde. They both moved backwards, and Mary Eunice slammed into the wall behind them. Lana felt a tight grip on her shoulders, and was thrown backwards. She just barely stopped her head from bashing into the hardwood when she was picked up by her shirt and pinned against the wall. She could feel the blonde's heartbeat, Mary Eunice pressing her unbearably hard against the wall. It was even. Lana couldn't even think, the sound of her blood pulsing through her veins ringing in her ears. She writhed violently as she grunted and started to let out small snarls, unable to break free from the grip.

"_No more waiting_."

The blonde twisted Lana around, pushing her back into the wall, her hand tight on the brunette's throat.

"This is how it goes. You surrender yourself to me, _entirely_. You accompany me in the afterlife, and you bind yourself to me for all eternity. In exchange, you get the power you've been craving, and a few new tricks up your sleeve. Still interested?"

Lana tried to speak but the blonde's hand was too tight. Mary Eunice barely loosened her grip. "_Catch_?" The word was choked out.

"You lose your connection to humanity. You'll be a monster, and you won't care." She grinned.

The blonde felt Lana swallow. The brunette thought about everything she had experienced in her life. Her parents disowning her, Wendy giving her to Briarcliff, the violence, the manipulation, the pain. Mary Eunice, in her own sick and twisted way, had somewhat saved her. She wouldn't have made it with Oliver. Her mind flicked through the fabricated memories. She thought about all the people she encountered. The sexists, the rapists, the seemingly entitled. Her anger started to flare again.

"_Do it_."

The blonde grinned, her teeth showing.

"I'm going to rip that pathetic little soul right out of you."

Mary Eunice released Lana's throat. She had Lana hold out both of her arms, wrists up. The blonde used her nail, scratching a long cut down both of her own forearms. Blood started to trickle out. Lana took in a sharp breath, bracing herself. Mary Eunice mirrored the actions on Lana's forearms, and placed both her arms atop of the brunettes. They both held on to one another, and Lana started to feel dizzy. Mary Eunice rested her forehead on the brunette's, and her eyes flickered to gold. Lana's eyes started to glaze over, and she instinctively opened her mouth a bit. The blonde brought her lips close to the reporter's, and started slowly inhaling. Lana felt a pain in her chest. A tugging sensation. The feeling got more and more intense, and suddenly it felt like her rib cage was collapsing. She wanted to cry out, but she was slowly losing consciousness. Her vision went blurry, and everything faded to black.

~Everything was dark for a moment, but once again, the light came back, even brighter this time. Lana was floating. She watched as the waves in the pool of blood took shape, turning into small hands, trying to pull her down. Each wave broke easily, and Lana was able to swim. She moved to the edge of the pool where a smiling blonde was perched. She pulled herself out of the liquid, and sat next to Mary Eunice. Suddenly the perspective was changed. They were perched on a ledge, high above the pool of crimson. They both looked down upon it, and Lana noticed others, drowning and suffocating just as she did before. She watched as the entire Earth became submerged in red, while she remained dry. She smiled.~

Lana's eyes shot open. She could tell she was in her bed, but the sheets felt intense, like she could sense every individual fiber. The light sneaking in through the blinds seemed to illuminate the whole room, and she could hear the neighbors downstairs snoring. She spread out her hands, digging them into the sheets around her, trying to take in as much of the feeling as possible. She heard movement, and looked into the doorway. She smiled back at the already grinning blonde and sat up.

"Is this how you feel all the time?" She breathed out a laugh, a little overwhelmed by her senses.

"No, you only get a fraction of what I have." She smirked.

"It's…amazing."

"Just wait until you have an orgasm."

"Well I _am_ already in bed." She smirked back and raised her eyebrow.

"You sure you're not too weak for that right now?"

"What do you mean? I feel great." Lana gave her a puzzled look. The blonde pointed a slender finger at her chest. Lana looked down, and she could see discolored skin peeking out of her shirt's neckline. She pulled the shirt so she could see her chest, revealing a horrendous bruise around her sternum. Her skin looked almost black, and various rays of purple and blue surrounded the worst parts. She tenderly touched her finger to the area, but she couldn't feel it.

"How long does this last?"

"It'll be gone by tomorrow."

Lana shrugged and released the neck of her shirt. "Then I'm fine." She scooted to the edge of the bed, her legs dangling off the side. She bit her lip.

"Hmm." Mary Eunice crossed her arms. "I don't know." She smiled.

Lana hopped off the bed, and appeared in front of the blonde faster than she anticipated. "Oh, come on Mary- _whoa_." Her strides seemed infinite, and she cleared the space between them almost instantly. Her brain finally registered that she had moved, and she timidly took a small step back. She let out a small laugh.

Mary Eunice grinned. "Baby steps, Lana."

The brunette was completely overwhelmed. It was only now, up close and personal, that she noticed the change in how she saw things. Almost everything was in amazing detail, crystal clear high definition. She glanced around but her eyes went back to blonde in front of her. The golden locks seemed to shine, color radiating from each strand. Her blue eyes gave way to small splashes of green and speckles of brown, all interwoven in intricate spider-like patterns_. And her lips_. Lana held in a breath. She swore the room illuminated the woman, and she looked heavenly, of all things. The Devil _was_ the most beautiful angel, after all.

Lana exhaled a nervous breath. Her eyes flickered between the blonde's eyes and lips, and she raised her hands up on either side of her head. They hovered over Mary Eunice's skin, Lana a bit nervous to touch. The brunette felt like she was falling into a trance. All the while the blonde gave her an amused smile.

"Oh my- I, I just want you to _touch_ me."

Lana's hands fell onto the blonde's shoulders, the taller woman reaching up and holding the brunette's chin lightly, ghosting her thumb over her bottom lip. Lana melted into the kiss that followed, every nerve in her body alight at the touch. Everything felt different now, a constant shock running through her. Her hands moved to Mary Eunice's neck, trying to pull her closer. Her skin was softer than anything Lana had ever felt before.

Their tongues battled for supremacy, starting slow, but both women sped up, growing more ravenous. Lana let out a series of moans, the new sensations were so intense, and she was eager to feel more. Mary Eunice smirked, tugging on her bottom lip, her hands on Lana's waist. Her own senses were heightened, still running on the high of the brunette's devotion. She felt Lana fumble with her blouse, the brunette feverishly undoing the buttons. The blouse was removed, and Mary Eunice slid her hand underneath Lana's waistband. Her fingers trailed agonizingly slow, toying with the sensitive skin on Lana's thighs before rubbing over her center, feeling the damp fabric between her legs. The brunette breathed heavily, and Mary Eunice let out a sultry laugh when she felt Lana's legs almost give out.

Lana threw her head back a bit, separating their lips for a moment. She thought she was going to faint, every touch surpassing the feeling of what used to be an orgasm for her. She clung to the blonde, both supporting her weight and biting and kissing frantically at the woman's neck. She walked backwards, pulling Mary Eunice with her. She sat on the edge of the mattress, pushing Mary Eunice back in front of her. Her hands moved to the woman's slacks, and she undid the buttons and pulled them off along with her panties. Another shockwave hit her, just seeing the taller woman's legs. She kissed the blonde's hip bones before lying back on the mattress, pulling the blonde on top of her. Mary Eunice instinctively straddled her, and bent down to kiss her, pulling the brunettes top off of her in one motion. Lana grabbed the blonde's hips, and urged her forward.

"_I want to taste_." Every word was a moan in itself.

The brunette pulled her forward until she was positioned above her, a knee on each side of her head. She fiercely grabbed her hips before leaning forward. Lana delved into the woman's folds, tasting every inch possible. Mary Eunice's breathing started to become irregular, and she leaned back, supporting herself with one hand, and proceeding to rub circles around Lana's clit before returning the sensations, sliding two fingers inside the brunette. Lana's rhythm was interrupted for a moment, her head rolling back for a second, still being bombarded by the intense shockwaves.

She hurriedly returned to the blonde's center, Mary Eunice slightly bucking her hips to the woman's movements. The blonde kept her movements steady, slower than usual, not wanting Lana to come too quick. Despite this, Lana's breathing became even more erratic, and the brunette felt like she was slipping in and out of consciousness. Still, her tongue continued to move through the blonde's center, and she sucked on the taller woman's clit. Mary Eunice bit her lip, her head lolling back. She knew she was close, so she curled her fingers inside the brunette, flicking her thumb over her clit as well. She felt Lana's muscles start to tighten, and both women sped up their movements.

Lana came first, her muscles tightening around the blonde's fingers, and she sucked harshly on Mary Eunice's clit, having the taller woman climax shortly behind her. Lana let out an exasperated moan, her eyes glazing over, and she pulled at the sheets as her back arched. Massive shocks ran through her body, for a moment she thought she would die. She decided if she had to go, this was the way to do it. Meanwhile, Mary Eunice let out a loud moan of her own, and it quickly changed into lustful laughs mixed with heavy breaths. She leaned forward, using her free hand to now brace herself against the headboard before slowly removing her fingers. She rolled off of Lana, falling down on to her back beside the brunette, both women covered in a small sheen of sweat.

Lana slowly recovered, her breathing still heavy, but she turned on her side, pulling the blonde closer to her. She left breathless kisses on the woman's jaw before resting her forehead on her shoulder.

_My life, it seems has taken a turn  
Why in the name of god would I ever want to return?  
Peel off our skin we're gonna burn what we were to the ground  
Fuck in the fire and we'll spread all the ashes around  
I wanna kill away the rest of what's left and I do  
Yes I do_


	17. Finale: 1968

**Author's Note:** **Hello everyone! Thank you for accompanying me on this journey! I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. With the end of this story comes hopefully a flurry of new prompts and ideas. I love you all.**

A single lamp illuminated the living room. The dim light bounced lazily off the walls, losing its vitality with every ricochet. A pale hand toyed with an 'L' shaped pin, and the blonde laid back into the orange couch. Her legs were crossed, and her hand tapped melodies onto the couch cushion, eyes focused on the floor. For a moment she thought about her past, and the melodies she used to sing. Everything was always a song. Her life had started out slow, a ballad of sorts, but grew somber. Then the tempo changed, and an allegro formed before slowly gliding into an intense crescendo. Her song was almost finished, and she had orchestrated every note. She decided she was satisfied.

Her eyes flickered upward, meeting the pale gaze of the angel in front of her. She blew her bangs out of her eyes and smiled. Shachath simply blinked, her hands in her lap, sitting across from the blonde. They sat in silence a moment.

"Why did you call me here Cousin? I never thought I would hear your song again." Her voice was still soft, and she was genuinely curious.

The blonde's expression hinted at slight annoyance, but remained neutral.

"I thought I would give you warning. Things will be changing, very soon." They shared eye contact for a moment. "I've gotten what I came for."

Shachath glanced over to the open door leading to the bedroom, where Lana slept peacefully, shrouded in the night. She returned her eyes to the blonde, turning her head slightly.

"Why tell me?"

"I need you to take this soul when it is time. I will play my song for the last time, and you will come."

Shachath narrowed her eyes slightly.

"I trust that you can do that." She continued. The blonde stood, and the angel followed. They shared a slight nod, and the angel was gone.

Her fingers continued to toy with the pin, and she let out a heavy breath.

The light was turned off, and the room filled with darkness once more.

Lana awoke to the voice of the blonde. She could tell she was on the phone, and the brunette reached out, stretching her arms with a yawn before standing up. She adjusted her night gown, rubbing her eyes as well as she walked into the living room. She saw Mary Eunice leaning against the kitchen island, and made her way over to her, an oblivious grin on her face. She slid under the phone cord and ended up in front of the blonde.

"I- yes, two for Chicago. Yes - _Lana please." _The blonde continued to try and finish her conversation while Lana peppered kisses on her jaw and neck.

Lana bit the blonde's earlobe and lifted her up onto the island counter. Mary Eunice let out a small surprised laugh, but continued with her conversation as best as she could. The brunette smiled as she tried to distract the blonde.

"Thank you, yes, - _Lana _- August 26th will be best, yes, -" She hummed out a small moan, Lana's fingers inching a bit too close to sensitive skin. She smirked and pushed Lana back a bit.

"Yes perfect, thank you." She quickly hung up the phone on the receiver next to her, Lana taking the chance to bite at her collarbone.

"Where are we going?" Lana asked in between kisses.

Mary Eunice slid off of the counter, kissing Lana deeply before slipping out of reach. Lana huffed and crossed her arms, pouting.

"You're accompanying me to the Democratic National Convention this year. I was just getting our fights arranged." She smiled. "If your hands had gotten any closer we might have gotten a discount." She smirked.

Lana followed the blonde to the couch in the living room, sitting next to her as she plopped down onto it. Mary Eunice smiled and motioned to her lap. Lana laid down on her back, resting her head on the blonde's legs. Lately Lana had noticed that Mary Eunice's cold demeanor had been softening. She had often rested with the blonde, waking to find her gently running her fingers through the brunette's hair. She smiled as she felt the familiar touch. Mary Eunice gently stroked the dark strands on Lana's head. The brunette smiled to herself and closed her eyes. They shared a moment of silence.

"Mary, are you okay?" Lana gave her a curious look. The motions continued, and the blonde gave a small smile.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Lana sighed a bit. "I don't know. Something seems wrong. Somethings.. off."

Mary Eunice smiled and placed a kiss on Lana's forehead.

"I'm fine."

The plane ride was long, and Lana hated flying. Even with all of her added senses, fear was not dulled in the slightest. As always, Mary Eunice treated them to the best luxuries available. First class seating was decadent, and the seats were plush and comfortable for the first time in Lana's life. Both women shared glasses of complimentary champagne, and the brunette sipped quietly as Mary Eunice chatted with a fellow political passenger.

This convention was serious business, and Lana was a bit shocked that they were both attending. This upcoming election was going to be fierce, and with LBJ not seeking re-election, the Democratic party was up in arms. She didn't blame them though, their best candidate was shot down a few months prior. Despite her now demonic pact with the blonde, Lana still sent prayers for the Kennedy family.

Mary Eunice finally returned to their seats, sitting back down next to Lana. The blonde shot her a tipsy smile, eyes darting to her lips for a moment.

"Don't even think about it."

She rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. "Prude."

"I think our little rendezvous at the airport would beg to differ." She took another sip while Mary Eunice downed another glass. She was never much of a drinker, and Lana was a bit concerned.

She wanted to bring up her concerns, but was interrupted by the sound of a conversation in coach behind them. She tuned her ears to the distinct voices and listened. She could tell the blonde wasn't paying attention, only moving to ask the attendant for another drink. The brunette listened to the voices.

"Grant Park is only a few minutes from here, I'm sure we will get there in time. Don't worry man."

"Come on Tom, there's no way we can make it there by noon. It's almost ten now."

"Chill man, were gonna make it. This is gonna be better than Pigasus."

Lana sighed. The two men must be protesters. Yippies she was sure. She smiled though, she had seen Pigasus on the news.

She was pulled from the men's voices by Mary Eunice's drunken hand on her thigh.

"Mary, no. Scandal is not on our itinerary."

"Oh come on Lana, time is almost up. Live a little."

_What does that mean? _

Lana gave her a confused look, but still pushed her back into her seat. She stood up and walked out into the aisle. She stopped in the lavatory, washing her face. Her gut started acting up again.

She sighed.

The plane had landed around eleven, and the pair had checked in to their hotel and made their way to the convention for the first day of festivities. Lana watched as multiple politicians and politician's wives schmoozed and laughed with one another as each candidate made their speeches. The first night was light, but tension was rising with the crowd. Lana could hear many plentiful conversations full of cryptic messages and slanderous gossip. She took every opportunity to spread the darker comments around. Mary Eunice was growing more distant with every drink, and Lana was growing very annoyed. She channeled that into her mingling, toying with some of the men, trying to stir the blonde's temper.

She found out quite quickly that it was working, and the night spent at their hotel was intense. Both women had bruises in the morning, but designer dresses quickly covered them. They shared a heated argument in the morning, and arrived at the convention without speaking a word to each other.

The next night Lana continued her flirting, much to the blonde's dismay. The brunette could practically feel the anger radiating off of her with every small pinch to the hip she received. Both women exaggerated the rumors circulating in the crowd, and various politicians started getting into fights, having to be dragged out. Lana witnessed the blonde whispering into glasses of champagne before placing them back on passing server's trays. She didn't think much of it.

Lana slept on the room's couch, the blonde taking the bed. In the morning when Lana awoke, the room had been smashed to pieces. The mirrors were all shattered, along with any glass objects and vases. She looked at the clock. It was two thirty in the afternoon. She was late. The blonde was obviously gone, and she dressed herself, dodging shards of glass as she exited the room.

Lana walked to the convention center, and noticed the swarming mass of bodies in the park adjacent. Many protesters held signs, and police were lining up. There was more tension in the air than Lana had ever felt before. She continued inside, it was almost three. The sight of the convention made Lana gasp in horror. All out brawls were been fought, politicians were being dragged out by security guards, journalists were being hit, all on national news. The mass of bodies was increasingly violent, and in the ever moving crowd Lana saw Mary Eunice. She was standing still, swirling a champagne glass in her hand, looking directly at Lana. She was unmoving until she whispered into the glass, absent mindedly handing it to a politician next to her. Lana watched as a policeman approached the blonde, and they exchanged a few words. He rushed out of the building, blazing past Lana. She saw his eyes, and shot the woman an accusing look. His eyes were unresponsive.

The brunette tried to push her way through the raging crowd, but was unable to make any ground. They shared one more glance, and the blonde disappeared instantly. Lana heard shots coming from outside, followed by shouting and a mass of movement. She turned to look out the windows, seeing a mass of protesters merge with a police line. Clubs met bodies and tear gas was thrown. Riot shields collided with students and rocks started being thrown. Lana watched, a small smile on her face as full on bedlam ensued.

As soon as the rioting started outside, a mirror image occured inside. Champagne glasses were smashed against walls, and everyone was attacking the other. Tables were overturned, and unidentified security guards rushed the crowds as well. Lana watched for a moment, but stopped when she heard the blonde's voice in her head.

"_Come."_

Lana turned to see the blonde farther away than before, turning to exit the building. Lana was compelled to follow, and rushed after her. She watched from the steps as the blonde calmly walked through the police riot. A small path was made instantly by the writhing bodies as the blonde traveled. Mary Eunice stopped in the middle of the park, surrounded by violence. She locked eyes with a stunned Lana, and the brunette saw her eyes turn to gold, dark lines appearing under her eyes. They were more sinister than ever before.

Mary Eunice turned, and a nearby officer immediately stopped fighting, turning rigidly to face the blonde. Lana heard an earsplitting scream in her head, and collapsed to her knees. Distorted voices echoed in her head, rising in volume and intensity. She felt warmth trickle down her neck. She assumed she was bleeding. She managed to look back at the blonde, only to see a smile as the policeman raised a gun to her head.

Lana screamed for her, breaking through the pain to shoot to her legs, haphazardly sprinting towards them. The shot rang out louder than any of the crowd. Mary Eunice collapsed, and Lana tore through the rioters, her thoughts growing inhuman. She clawed at anything that got in her way, tearing flesh occasionally. She finally reached the body and the frozen policeman. She immediately snapped his neck, falling down to the ground to clutch the blonde as his corpse fell backward. She screamed at the blonde, clutching to the corpse. Her eyes started to burn, and golden rays broke through her dark pupils, shredding away the pigment. Her throat started to close up, her screaming growing louder, due to both grief and the pain in her eyes.

Lana was startled, the body in her arms started to fade to black, and flesh started burning away. A flash of black, and a pain shot through her chest. Mary Eunice had shed the literal flesh, but remained the same, appearing behind her. Her hand was ingrained in Lana's back, breaking through her chest, blood starting to pour through the wound. She snaked her head to the side of Lana's placing a soft kiss on her cheek. The blonde started to hum a soft melody, and time slowed. A shadowy figure appeared. A woman dressed in black. She watched as the woman raised a piece of the blonde's charred body into the air. It burned blue to white, and the woman took it in her hand before bringing it to her lips. She closed it into her fist before blowing it into the air.

"This is the last time we meet, Cousin."

And she was gone.

Lana looked down, and Mary Eunice's hand started to fade. The pool of blood had grown large, and Lana's eyesight was going blurry.

"Time is up."

The brunette's body started to turn to flames, just as the blonde's body had. The brunette let out a scream as her flesh charred and flaked away. And everything turned to darkness.

Light entered again, fuzzy shapes mixed in with others, colors blended into one. She felt a familiar sensation. Someone was stroking her hair. She tried to focus her vision, but shapes only sharpened a small bit. She groaned, turning to her side. Yellow shapes appeared. A painful shock ran through her, and she decided to just focus on breathing. She felt soft touches on her forehead, and her eyes finally shifted into focus. An ethereal Mary Eunice looked down at her, eyes bright.

"Mary.."

Her voice was hoarse, and the blonde smiled. Lana looked around. Nothing but a blinding light surrounded them. The blonde helped her sit up, and Lana turned to face the blonde.

"Is this…..?"

"Yes."

"Isn't there supposed to be fire? Brimstone?"

The blonde laughed a bit and placed her hand over Lana's.

"No. It's just this."

Lana looked around. Still just light. She turned to face the same way as the blonde, and realized that her legs dangled over a ledge. The brunette mirrored the blonde's position. The sight was a familiar one. She couldn't remember where she saw it.

Both women were perched on a ledge, overlooking a sea of crimson. The view was much broader from here. Lana watched as the whole Earth was flooded with red far below them. She watched as nations drowned, and she felt like she was watching all of history replayed for them.

"I can see them. I can see everything."

"I know. That's what Hell is. We can see, but we can never act."

Lana swallowed. Mary Eunice's grip tightened.

"It's not so bad. At least now it isn't." She rested her head on Lana's shoulder.

"Since when are you so affectionate?" Lana smiled.

"I saw you many years ago. I waited millenniums. I think I've earned the right to be loving for once."

Lana smiled.

"But don't you dare tell anyone."

They both laughed.

"See? It's not so bad."

They shared a moment of silence before the blonde captured Lana's lips. It was a much softer embrace, and they placed their foreheads together once they separated.

"You love me, don't you?" The brunette's voice was almost a whisper.

Mary Eunice smiled, kissing her again.

"I'll never tell."


End file.
